Fatal Frame: Red Spider Lily
by ActionGal07
Summary: 17-year old Aimi Hanazawa travels to an old abandoned Japanese town known for curing a deadly supernatural disease that plagues those who suffers from unrequited love. Armed with the Camera Obscura, Aimi must bravely explore this haunted mountain town while trying to resolve the feelings of her own heart. (Finished!) Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1: Hanahaki Disease

**I've always wanted to do a Fatal Frame story but never really know how to go about it. Fatal Frame has real interesting folklore based on Japanese myths and superstitions, especially about ghosts and the spirit world. Well my story is gonna take a different approach to the series, but it will definitely be spooky and haunted in its own right. I don't own Fatal Frame itself but all the characters you read about do belong to me. I hope my readers can enjoy this new exciting story based on actual Japanese legends. Without further ado, please read and enjoy! Thank you!**

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_You made flowers grow in my lungs and, although they are beautiful, I cannot breathe…_

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**Prologue: Hanahaki Disease**

_I've loved him…I've loved him more than anyone I've ever known. But he didn't love me_… Even in the darkness, she could still make out the little village in the distance. There was only the one road that led to the town entrance but she had no trouble finding it. A young teenage girl with short cropped black hair with matching black glasses squinted to get a better look at the little village. But there was no sign of life. The village was abandoned and nobody lived there anymore. Or so the stories say… And yet, she knew… This was the place. This was the only place that could cure the aches in her heart.

Matsumura Village… Locals often told stories about the town's origins. Once it was a mining town where the miners and their families lived in order to harvest the gold, iron and zinc from the mountain's caves. Once the mines dried up, the village slowly became a tourist attraction where it boasted beautiful mountainous views, lavish gardens, trails along the winding rivers and its beautiful art of flowers. Oddly enough, flowers certainly seemed to hold special meaning in the little town, so much so that some residents used to engage in the art of Ikebana here. It was interesting information she managed to gather so far about Matsumura, but she was also aware of the town's more tragic back-stories.

Naoki Sugitani walked along the road until finally entering the village and the first thing she felt was an unsettling coldness wafting in the air. It was in the middle of spring and yet the village already carried an air of abandonment that truly made it spooky. Naoki shivered from the cold. She was wearing a bright orange sleeveless crew top along with brown skirt while wearing her favorite black school-shoes. Naoki was very shy and timid, but also gentle-hearted. It was pitch-dark out so Naoki rummaged in the hand-bag she'd brought with her to bring out the flashlight. Upon clicking on the light, the first thing Naoki did was shine it towards the empty-looking houses that stood like dark statues in the night. One look around her environment told her that she was alone here.

"_This village… The cure must be around somewhere. The only thing that can take away the pain that grows within me_," Naoki thought.

At that precise moment, Naoki found herself coughing uncontrollably again. So far she'd been able to suppress it along the ride here, but now the ailment was getting worse. Somehow being in this little village was making her sicker somehow. Once her coughing fit subsided, Naoki looked down at the ground and her eyes widen in alarm upon seeing more petals on the ground. It was getting stronger… And every time it happened, Naoki could only think about "him". Even now, she wondered if she could ever truly stop loving him. Naoki fell in love with him at first sight. All those times she'd spend in their classrooms, daydreaming about him falling in love with her. But sadly it wasn't meant to be.

Naoki placed a hand on her heart and could feel herself shaking from the illness growing inside her. It had happened two weeks ago… It started out as ordinary coughs. They seemed harmless enough and she thought she was merely coming down with a sore-throat. But after five days passed, that's when the petals started to appear. Bright-orange petals like that from a flower… Naoki tried taking medicine for it and even once tried talking to a doctor. But the doctor couldn't find anything wrong with her. And he certainly couldn't see the flowery petals she showed him. That's when Naoki knew that this was something much more supernatural…

Soon Naoki grew desperate and worked tirelessly in the libraries, trying to understand what was happening to her. And that's when she stumbled upon some old-looking notes that seemed hidden away in an old tome. It was written entirely in Japanese and judging by the letters, it was written long ago. But it was these notes that enabled Naoki to learn about the Hanahaki Disease… Reaching again inside her hand-bag, Naoki was able to lift out the notes and using the flashlight was able to read them carefully.

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**Genda's Note 1**

After settling down here in the peaceful quiet town of Matsumura, this gave me a chance to do my research on the fabled Hanahaki Disease. The disease in question is unlike anything I've ever heard of before. As a doctor, I've seen my fair share of diseases of all kinds, but Hanahaki Disease is by far the most mysterious.

Hanahaki Disease is an ailment which seems to affect those who suffer from unrequited love. But what makes it unique is that patients cough up flower-petals the more their love grows strong. It's my understanding that Hanahaki Disease was first discovered here in the little town of Matsumura, and it was here that they've come up with an important ritual that cures those of this flowery disease.

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I've asked around, but nobody has too much information to give about these so-called rituals and how exactly did it cure Hanahaki Disease. One thing is for sure, it's said the only way to rid one of this disease was to have one's love reciprocated. But according to some of the stories I've heard, this doesn't always end very well.

The notes were signed by a man named Akihiko Genda. It seemed he was a doctor and it was through looking up his address that Naoki was able to find Matsumura. The village that contained the cure to her disease… At first being here in this dark deserted town gave her second thoughts, it wasn't until she felt another painful ache in her lungs that she made up her mind. She had no choice. This was the only way to save herself from her fate. If there was a way to get rid of this curse, she would have to start searching. Holding the flashlight steady in her hand, Naoki began her exploration of the town.

The further into town she went, the deeper the cold air seemed to grow. Not knowing exactly where to go, Naoki came upon the first-looking building that stood out. What appeared to be an old-fashioned Japanese-style house loomed tall in the darkness. Naoki looked up at the building with curiosity and then flashed her light on the sign that she could make out. **Oshiro Inn**… Matsumura used to be a tourist attraction so it made sense that they would have an Inn to accommodate visitors. Something about this place seemed to call to her that before she knew it, Naoki decided to investigate the Inn. After all, there was bound to be all sorts of information about town inside.

To Naoki's surprise, the door was unlocked and she had no trouble sliding the doors open and stepping into the foyer. The air inside was colder. Naoki shined her flashlight around to see what she could find. To her right was the reception desk where one could check in. Looking around there, Naoki could see some old dirty brochures, maps and postcards. Nothing of interest. Walking further inside, she wondered if she could find any clues that could help her in any way. Naoki stopped to see a closet half-way open where it contained ratty yukatas and slippers lying abandoned inside. She turned and nearly jumped in alarm when she thought she saw someone slowly walking away down a corridor.

"Hello…?" Naoki called out timidly. It happened so fast. Naoki doubted that anyone lived here anymore. But now it made her wonder. "_Am I not the only one_?" she wondered to herself. Was it possible that others who suffered Hanahaki Disease also came to this town?

Naoki stood staring down the dark corridor that seemed to lead to some of the guest rooms on the first floor. For a moment, she wondered what to do. Was there somebody else here? It kinda would be nice to run into another person. Perhaps someone who can actually help her. Making up her mind, Naoki headed down the corridor. Upon coming this way, she came upon the garden. The garden must have once been a popular spot for visitors to relax in. From what she could make out, the garden contained a stone-made bench, maple-trees; a stone-lantern that was unlit, and a pond. There was no one around. Just as Naoki turned her back on the garden to further explore the corridor, that's when she heard it for certain.

"_I just wanted him to love me_…"

Naoki spun around in time and gasped when she first spotted the woman in the garden. She appeared so suddenly that it left Naoki rooted to the spot. The woman stood with her back towards Naoki and didn't appear to react to her presence. After getting over her initial shock, Naoki was about to open her mouth to call out a greeting but before she could, the unknown-looking woman suddenly hunched over and began coughing uncontrollably. And that's when she vanished out of sight… Terror gripped Naoki's heart when the horrible realization hit her.

"_That woman is a ghost! That would mean she's…_," In that moment, Naoki knew. Matsumura wasn't just an abandoned village. It was haunted. She wasn't the only one wandering around here.

Naoki seriously contemplated leaving this cursed village behind and never looking back. But then without warning, she grabbed her chest and started coughing herself. And as she did, Naoki vomited. Once her stomach stopped hurting, she looked down and became even more horrified to see orange lilies on the ground. That's when she realized her Hanahaki Disease was getting worse. And then she knew she couldn't leave this village yet. Not until she found a way to stop the curse from claiming her.

Naoki waited for her heart to stop pounding so much and once she managed to retain some courage, managed to leave the garden behind. But it still left her with some unanswered questions. Who was that strange woman? Naoki didn't have to wait long to find out. Reaching the end of the corridor, she stopped when she noticed the trail of petals on the ground. They were a lovely shade of pink. Cherry blossom petals…? But there weren't any cherry trees around these parts. Naoki began to follow the trail of cherry blossoms and realized they might lead to somewhere. As Naoki followed the pink petals closely, that's when she saw her for a second time…

"_I loved him… Why didn't he love me_?" The woman's voice wasn't really a voice. More like a shadowy echo. Naoki saw the ghostly woman walk through the guest-room. That was where the pink petals led as well.

Upon reaching the door, Naoki hesitated. That ghost woman was inside. This must be the room she rented here at the Inn. Finally Naoki slid the door open and decided to investigate the room. Upon entering, she saw the room was quite a mess and the furniture already collecting dust. However there were some interesting things she came to discover. Stepping into the room, Naoki moved her flashlight around to see what she could find. The first thing that caught her eye was the duffle bag sitting on the futon. Shining her flashlight on it, Naoki went over and curiously went through the traveling bag. She found interesting things in it. Inside was a wallet with a driver's license and a picture of an attractive woman in her early twenties with very long black hair. And there was a name…

"Ayuki Kihara…," Naoki read. This must be that woman's name. She must have come here to Matsumura too. But then…what happened to her? And then Naoki also found what appeared to be a Pink Diary that belonged to this Kihara woman.

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**Pink Diary 1**

I've managed to arrive here safely. Matsumura was a lot easier to find than I thought. And it's here where I can finally confess my feelings for Isao. According to old stories told about this village, this is where people go when they want to make love confessions. They also say this was once part of a ritual where two souls come together to confess their feelings. This was also a method on how to rid someone of the Hanahaki Disease.

I was successful in convincing Isao to come with me to this village. With a little luck, I can love him and win his love in return. I've known Isao since high-school and we share so much in common. Here in little Matsumura, I will tell my beloved how I truly feel.

* * *

It was just as she thought. Ayuki Kihara must have been suffering from Hanahaki Disease too. She must have come here hoping her love interest would return her affections. And this forced Naoki to think about the boy she'd come to love so much. A boy who would never return her feelings… Every time she thought about it, she'd get a tightening feeling in her heart. Like she was suffocating on the inside…. The notes did give her one clue. There was a ritual that could cure the Hanahaki Disease with a love confession. But it was no good. A love confession couldn't save her… Naoki resolved to keep exploring the town until she could discover other possible options.

With nothing else of interest in the guestroom, Naoki exited through the sliding door and froze when she spotted the ghost of Ayuki Kihara walking further down the corridor. "_I have to tell him_," Ayuki's alluring voice called. Before she knew it, Naoki found herself following after Ayuki's ghost. She couldn't help it. She wanted to know about Ayuki's fate… Soon Naoki saw Ayuki vanishing out a door that seemed to lead to the hot-springs. Pulling the door open, Naoki stepped out onto a large deck where she had a nice view of the crescent moon floating up in the inky-black sky. It was here that she saw the hot-springs. She was surprised to see the hot-springs still filled with water. Too bad she didn't have time for a dip. Upon closer examination, Naoki spied with her flashlight another page from the pink diary earlier tucked in between the rocks. Careful not to rip it, she was able to learn more from its notes.

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**Pink Diary 2**

Isao certainly seems to be enjoying himself. We had a lot of fun hiking along the mountain and river, and we returned to the Oshiro Inn to have dinner. Isao went to the hot-springs but I find myself very nervous. My coughing fits haven't subsided and I keep throwing up pink petals which are soon turning into lovely cherry blossoms. I don't have much time left. I hope it all goes well. I love Isao and I know he will love me in return. We were always such good friends. I know we can become more.

I told Isao to meet me by the wishing well. I will tell him there. I must hurry. My disease is getting worse and it'll only be a matter of time before it fully consumes me. Please love me, Isao.

* * *

The more she read, the more Naoki sympathized for this Ayuki. She knew exactly what it was like to have feelings for someone. But still, it made her wonder. What happened to Ayuki? Was she able to break the Hanahaki curse? Looking over the notes once more, Naoki saw the words wishing well… Is that where Ayuki went? Was there something at the wishing well? With the flashlight in hand, Naoki left the hot-springs behind and ventured further out into the courtyard. Following some stepping stones that seemed to lead through the trees and evergreen shrubberies, she happened to look up at the majestic mountain looming in the background. That was where the old mines were said to reside…

In the distance, she heard the sounds of a flowing river but she couldn't tell which direction it was coming from. Instead Naoki stopped when she finally spotted it. Naoki flashed her light over at the well that was mentioned in the diary. Moss grew on the well which meant it must have been here a pretty long time. Was this place where Ayuki had come? And as Naoki approached the well, that's when she first saw it. Sitting on the edge was a cherry blossom… only it was glowing brightly and giving off a spiritual aura. Intrigued by the flower, Naoki reached out to pick up the flower. Just as her fingertips touched the petal, Naoki was overcome by a powerful presence. And suddenly something flashed before her eyes…

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(**Flashback**)

_Ayuki stood by the well with her crush, Isao. It was here that she finally told him her feelings. Isao smiled politely to his dear friend since high-school. But then with a sad smile, he shook his head no. Ayuki's expression changed to one of utter despair. Heart-broken, she desperately tried proving her love to him but to no avail. And then her despair turned to anger… She couldn't stop screaming her heartache at him. In her fit of rage, her emotions overpowered her. Ayuki used all her strength to push Isao and watched in horror as she accidentally pushed him right into the well…_

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Naoki dropped the cherry-blossom flower to clap a hand over her mouth in shock. She could hardly believe what she'd witnessed. Ayuki pushed the man she loved down the well? Now Naoki gazed uneasily at the seemingly innocent-looking well. She knew she shouldn't but Naoki went so far as to shine her flashlight down the well to see if she could see to the bottom. It was too deep; the darkness seemed to stretch forever. She couldn't even tell if it was filled with water. Now she turned to look down at the cherry blossom she dropped on the ground. When she picked it up, that's when the trail of pink petals suddenly appeared again. Did this flower somehow belong to Ayuki Kihara? Where would the trail lead to now?

Leaving the well behind, Naoki used the flashlight to closely follow the pink petals which seemed to lead her back to the Inn. Walking by the abandoned hot-springs, the pink petals led back inside the Inn. Going back inside the building, Naoki had no trouble memorizing the way she took to get here. Following the trail of pink petals led her back to the garden she walked by earlier. Stepping into the garden, the pink petals led her over to a medium-sized maple tree. And it was here where Naoki saw another page from the pink diary. Ayuki must have liked coming to the garden here. But what happened to her?

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**Pink Diary 3**

Isao didn't love me. His love won't be able to save me. Why? I thought I did everything right! Isao is gone. I loved him! I will never stop loving him! No good… Can't stop throwing up cherry blossoms. I can't get it to stop. I loved Isao…I loved Isao…I loved Isao…I loved Isao…I loved Isao…I loved Isao…

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The note became erratic after that… It disturbed Naoki when she guessed Ayuki's fate. Ayuki accidentally killed the man she loved…and she still loved him. No doubt about it. Her Hanahaki Disease must have claimed her. Naoki would suffer the same fate if she didn't find a way to stop it. Just as she pocketed the note, that's when she heard it…"_I just wanted him to love me_…" With a startled gasp, Naoki felt the air get colder. Trembling all over, Naoki then sensed that something was behind her. Slowly, very slowly she turned herself around to see what it was… Naoki's scream broke the silence as she saw the ghostly form of Ayuki Kihara. The dead woman staring at her with brightly lit cherry blossoms growing out of her chest, her neck, her mouth… "_I just wanted him to love me."_ Ayuki's distorted face showed only sorrow now. And as she reached out for Naoki, Naoki did the only thing she could do… She ran from the garden at once.

Naoki never looked back, not once. But she could still hear the sorrowful woman still wailing miserably behind her. She now knew the village was dangerous and was filled with the restless spirits of all those who perished from Hanahaki Disease. And as Naoki struggled to see where she was going while running through the Inn's corridor, she couldn't stop herself from coughing along the way. Suddenly it became too much that Naoki had to stop to grab her chest and throw up more of the orange lilies that grew within her. Once the terrible coughing subsided, Naoki finally looked back and was actually relieved to see that the ghost of Ayuki Kihara didn't follow her. But it was unsafe to linger around for long. Naoki decided to leave the Oshiro Inn at once.

Entering the foyer once more, Naoki started for the exit when a sudden new voice stopped her. "_You will never be loved…_" Naoki's heart leaped in her chest when she realized she wasn't alone. There was a new a ghost lurking nearby. "_You will never be loved_…" The voice repeated. But this voice sounded icy-cold and very bitter. The voice of an angry spirit… And when Naoki turned around, that's when she first saw her. As she feared, it was another ghost. Only this ghost was different and was emanating a powerful sinister aura. But what horrified Naoki more than anything was the woman's ghastly appearance.

From the looks of it, the woman was wearing what once must have been a lovely elegant orange kimono which was now ugly, ripped and decaying now. Her black hair was waist-length and flowed down her back. And half her face was obscured by bright red spider lilies, growing out from her face, her chest, her mouth. Through her one good eye, the kimono woman stared menacingly back at Naoki. So much resentment, so much hatred in those dead eyes… Naoki wondered who she was and where she came from. Her kimono was old-fashioned and appeared to be a style from the feudal era. Was it possible this ghost was once a high-ranking woman in those days?

Without warning, the dead woman lifted a pale bony finger and pointed at Naoki who could only stare in frozen fear. "_You will never be loved. Unloved forever… Never be loved, never!"_ Just then, Naoki let out a breathless gasp as she could feel her lungs collapse. Suddenly the cold air was the only thing she could feel anymore. Naoki choked and gagged as she could feel the flowers growing inside her…growing and growing… Naoki grabbed her throat and fell to her knees as more and more orange lilies poured out of her mouth. It was too late. Naoki reached up a feeble hand to try to grab the door to escape but had no strength left. She couldn't breathe…not anymore… As the spider-lily ghost watched her demise, Naoki's last thoughts was the boy she never stopped loving.

"_Shou…I will…always…love you_," these wistful thoughts went through Naoki's mind as she slipped toward death. "_I wish…you could have loved me…too_." And in her last moments, Naoki also felt another emotion in her heart. Resentment at not being loved in return…

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**Poor Naoki…. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time a Fatal Frame character fell victim to the evil spirits. This was only a prologue. Something to give readers an idea of what to expect in this story. So how did I do? Was it an interesting read? Shall I continue more chapters so that readers can continue exploring the haunted realm of Matsumura? I promise I will get the updates going. But I'm kinda proud how this turned out. And there are many other unfortunate victims who died from the Hanahaki Disease. I had fun writing this and look forward to more horror coming up. Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2: Matsumura Village

**Welcome back. And now, we continue to explore the haunted town of Matsumura and learn about the mysterious disease that originates from there. Picking up where we last left off. It's here that we'll really get into the story. Okay readers. Prepare your Camera Obscura!**

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**Chapter 2: Matsumura Village**

**Two hours later**… Matsumura was now an abandoned village. Last time she heard, nobody lives there anymore. Nevertheless, she could still make out the resident houses among other deserted buildings, and the tall towering mountain in the background, filled with green trees. Aimi Hanazawa followed the only road that led directly into the dark town. Upon arrival, she could already hear the thudding of her own heart as she felt an eerie coldness sweep over her. Even though the town looked empty and decrepit now, her strong sixth sense was already alerting her to the presence of spiritual activity. She wasn't alone here…

"Naoki… Are you here?" Aimi whispered softly to herself. It hadn't been easy looking for her good friend. But gathering what clues she was able to find, she was able to determine that Naoki had come to this lonely village.

As Aimi gazed around at the empty houses, she clicked on her own flashlight and began the search for her lost friend. Aimi was an extremely pretty girl with shoulder-length auburn hair. She was wearing her favorite pink short-sleeved ruffle-top, black Capri-pants and matching pink ankle-strap mary-janes. Aimi was quiet and mature, but also strong-willed. Now that she's arrived here in Matsumura, she started her own exploration. She had to find Naoki. She was especially worried because Naoki had been behaving oddly for the last couple of weeks. The poor girl hadn't been seen in school for the last couple of days and Aimi heard troubling rumors that Naoki was sick with some strange illness…

Walking along a path that led through the neglected houses, Aimi also heard scary stories about this town. It was originally a mining-town which in time became a place for tourists and travelers to relax in. However there was legend of a terminal disease that affected people here and caused them to suffer horrible deaths. Something called Hanahaki Disease… Aimi hadn't been too familiar with it but after going through some of the notes that Naoki left behind, she learned about this curse disease. And she also learned that those who suffered from this disease went to Matsumura where a ritual was performed to cure them of their heartache.

"_Where are you, Naoki?_" Aimi thought worriedly while looking over at a house that was completely covered with vegetation. "_Were you also suffering from the disease? Is that why you came here?_"

A large old-fashioned Japanese building on her right caught her eye.** Oshiro Inn**… For some reason, Aimi felt drawn to this place. Holding her flashlight, she approached the entrance. Then she too entered the abandoned inn. It was just as cold in here as it was outside, which was to be expected from an empty house. Or was it empty? Aimi felt a sudden sharp pain in her chest and it gave her pause. The air in here was so cold it almost seemed to suffocate her. She already had a bad feeling. Aimi started to take a step but her foot seemed to kick into something. When Aimi looked down, she was surprised to see a hand-bag lying on the ground.

Using her flashlight to see, Aimi went through the hand-bag and realized it belonged to Naoki Sugitani. So Naoki did come here. Maybe she was somewhere around in this Inn? Aimi decided to go look for her. Aimi glanced over at the reception desk but didn't see anything interesting there. She wondered where to go from here. There were corridors to her left and to her right which contained guest rooms for visitors. Making her decision, Aimi headed for the stairs that led to the second floor. Taking each stair one at a time, Aimi reached the top and started to head to the corridor to her left but froze when she saw somebody standing there…

Aimi stood perfectly still and could only stare over at the woman who was floating silently by the corridor railing, looking out over the garden below. One look at her and Aimi automatically knew this woman was dead. She could sense the ghost's presence from here. What Aimi noticed about the woman was she was entirely dressed in a white wedding gown. And just like that… the abandoned bride disappeared. Aimi waited until she was sure the ghost had vanished from sight before proceeding down the corridor. She prayed that Naoki was safe…

Aimi looked over the railing to see the lovely garden down below but didn't see anything else there. Along the corridor, she peeked in some of the guest rooms but most of them were empty or filled with trash or contained dusty pieces of furniture. One guest room however caught Aimi's attention and she shined her flashlight inside and then entered. This room held the oddest looking gadgets she's ever seen. It made her wonder what kind of guest stayed here. The floor was littered with what appeared to be photos but of what she couldn't make out. Perhaps the guest was a photographer? While Aimi was looking around at the discarded photos littered around, that's when she first saw the camera.

The camera had been tucked away in one of the old suitcases. When Aimi reached in to pull it out, she quickly saw that it was one of those old-fashioned vintage cameras. Intrigued, Aimi held the camera in both hands and that's when she felt an unknown power flowing through her very fingertips. The camera looked ordinary enough but thanks to her sixth sense, she was able to detect strong spiritual energy from the camera. And while examining the camera closely, that's when she saw the words etched on the top. "**Camera Obscura**…" What an odd-looking camera. Inside the same suitcase, Aimi found documents that seemed to explain the camera itself.

* * *

**Guest's Note**

After searching for so long, I've finally acquired what is known as the Camera Obscura. It wasn't easy, but these antique cameras are hard to come by. According to what info I was able to dig up, Camera Obscura is an inventive camera made by the late Kunihiko Asou, a brilliant occult philosopher and scientist who lived during the 1800s and early 1900s. Although the academic world shunned his researches, Dr. Asou is especially well-known for other unique inventions such as the Spirit Stone Radio and the Projector.

From what I can tell, the camera in my possession seemed to be one of many prototypes but is surprisingly in good condition. The most special feature about the camera is its ability to capture pictures of impossible things. I've managed to take a couple pictures with it but so far the camera seemed to function like a normal one. They also say the camera specializes in exorcising hostile spirits and revealing hidden objects. The Camera Obscura has a rich history behind it but I've yet to unlock all its secrets.

* * *

After reading the documents, Aimi lifted the camera now and studied it closely. So this was called a Camera Obscura? And it had the ability to capture things that couldn't be seen to the naked eye? In order to test it, Aimi raised the camera and looked through its viewfinder…. And saw the abandoned bride standing there in the doorway. With a startled gasp, Aimi looked up and saw to her horror the same woman she saw out on the corridor balcony. Now the ghostly bride was standing there, blocking her only exit, and staring at those menacing dead eyes. And as Aimi tried to calm her wildly beating heart, the abandoned bride stepped into the room and started moving toward her…

Panic gripped Aimi's heart as she forced her trembling legs to step back as the abandoned bride moved to attack her. Realizing the camera was still in her hand, Aimi fought to keep her hands from shaking so much as she lifted the viewfinder to her eye. The abandoned bride reached out for her and like reflex Aimi instinctively pressed the shutter-button and a blinding light flashed. This caused the ghost to stagger back in shock. And as the ghost was momentarily stunned, Aimi could feel the camera heating up with spiritual power. That's when she knew… The Camera Obscura did have the power to exorcise spirits.

Even though fear still had a grip on her, Aimi was able to hold the camera steadier in her hands as the hostile ghost was moving in again for attack. Each time the ghost tried to strike out at her, Aimi pressed the shutter-button again and again. Finally at last… the abandoned bride let out a pitiable wail and vanished from sight. As soon as she was sure the coast was clear, Aimi was able to breathe again. But Matsumura was probably filled with all kinds of restless spirits. So Aimi decided to keep the camera with her at all times. Before safely exiting the guest-room, she found something on the ground where the abandoned bride had stood. Aimi reached down and picked up a dirtied wedding invitation with some of the words scribbled out.

* * *

**You are cordially invited to the wedding of**

******* & Manami Ishida**

**Wednesday, May 28, 2:00pm.**

* * *

Aimi couldn't read the rest of it. Why was that ghost carrying this around? Stepping out onto the corridor again, that's when Aimi first spotted it. To her surprise, she saw what appeared to be a glowing flowery trail. A trail of white-camellia petals… This was unexpected but it drew her curiosity. Did this come from that ghostly bride? Armed with the Camera Obscura, Aimi decided to follow the trail of petals. Leaving the garden behind, the trail of petals seemed to lead to another guest at the end of the corridor. Aimi stopped in her tracks when she saw the ghostly abandoned bride silently walk through the door. And that's when Aimi knew that this ghost must have been another guest at the Oshiro Inn. But when Aimi tried to open the door, she felt a powerful spiritual energy block her attempts to enter. She couldn't get the door open. The ghost inside was somehow keeping her out. That's when she sensed the Camera Obscura reacting to the door.

Aimi stood there with a puzzled expression and then looked thoughtfully down at the camera. "_Maybe if I take a photo?_" she wondered. Holding up the camera, Aimi carefully aimed at the door and took a picture. Now Aimi held up the snapshot and waited a minute for it to develop. To her surprise, she saw something completely different.

Instead Aimi saw a picture of what appeared to be a dining hall with dining-tables. How very odd… Was there something at the dining-hall? Aimi decided to go investigate. So she pocketed the photograph and headed over to another staircase that led back to the 1st floor. After a moment of figuring how where she was, Aimi was able to find her way back towards the reception area. According to a map written in Japanese, the dining hall was down the right corridor. Walking by a storage closet and a few more guest rooms, finally she reached the end of the hallway. Aimi slid open the shoji- screen door and stepped into the inn's dining hall.

It looked exactly like the photo. Using her flashlight to explore, Aimi saw the dining tables were dusty and even had some dirty tea-cups and silverware left on them. There was a nice-looking decorative folding-screen which depicted lotus-flowers. The dining hall was empty and forlorn like everywhere else… and yet… Aimi could feel her sixth sense kicking in. There was something here. A pair of eyes was watching her. It was only by looking through viewfinder of the camera was she able to locate it. A creepy ghost face was floating near above the roof rafters. A Glaring Ghost cast the most vicious stare down at Aimi as she took its picture. And then she knew. She'd broken the seal.

With nothing else to find in the dining hall, Aimi returned to the guest-room on the second floor. Sure enough, she had no trouble opening the door now. Upon entering the room, the first thing Aimi saw was countless white camellias growing everywhere in the room. On the tatami-floor, the futon, the furniture, the walls, everywhere. One big camellia garden… It was such an unexpected sight that Aimi stood peering around in a mixture of amazement and uneasiness. Where did all these white camellias come from? In the middle of the room, Aimi saw the ghostly bride, weeping sadly in the middle of the room.

Even though Aimi was afraid, she couldn't help but feel some pity for the poor woman. Despite her misgivings, she dared to take a couple more steps closer to the ghostly bride and reached out a hand in some hopeful attempt to comfort the restless spirit. Sensing her presence, the abandoned bride ceased her crying and slowly lifted her head up as Aimi approached. Upon seeing her face, Aimi gasped and recoiled at once. White camellias grew inside the bride's neck, her chest, and her stomach. They seemed to spill with never-ending white petals. And as Aimi backed away, the abandoned bride rose… and for a second time moved in to attack her. Having no other choice, Aimi had to use the Camera Obscura once again to defend herself…

It wasn't easy exorcising the hostile ghost as white camellia petals flew all around her in a storm and Aimi had a tough time seeing through the viewfinder what with all the flowery petals distracting her. Somehow she managed while hearing the continued agonizing sobs from the ghostly bride. Aimi aimed the camera in the abandoned bride's direction but let out a startled cry as a strong wind of camellia petals flew into her face, blindsiding her. The second she lowered the camera, the abandoned bride was already lunging for her. Aimi lifted the camera in time… One fatal shot was all it took before the wailing abandoned bride staggered away and then vanished altogether. Once the crying stopped…all was silent. Right there on the very spot where the abandoned bride once stood was a glowing white camellia. When Aimi reached out to gently touch its petals, she could feel the ghost's very soul reach up to her. And then something flashed before her eyes.

* * *

(**Flashback**)

_At the majestic shrine, the lovely bride stood faithfully by while waiting for her love to come for her. With her family and friends in attendance, she waited for her fiancé to arrive. An hour went by… She continued to wait for her love to come. Two hours later…Her family and friends show concern. Despite the long wait, she still clings to the hope that her fiancé will choose her. But it's been too long. Finally the fiancé's brother shows up and then it was revealed. Her fiancé was never in love with her. _

_But the bride never stopped loving her fiancé. She still hoped to be loved in return someday._

* * *

Aimi sighed sadly to herself after the vision ended. It was obvious that the abandoned bride had been another victim to the Hanahaki disease. She had to find Naoki. Where was her dear friend? With that, Aimi left the guest room behind and stepped out into the corridor. Just as Aimi was returning to the 1st floor of the inn, that's when she first heard it… "_I will…always…love you_." At first Aimi feared it was another hostile ghost. But then she recognized the voice.

"Naoki?" Aimi realized it was her friend. "Naoki!" she called while hurrying through the hallway.

Aimi was running by the garden when something caught her eye. Aimi shined her flashlight down at the ground and saw a different trail of flowers this time. A trail of orange tulip petals… Where did this lead? Aimi saw that this flowery trail seemed to lead her back to the reception area. And once she did, Naoki came into the view. She was slowly walking away down the left corridor all while mumbling incoherently to herself. Aimi was so overjoyed that she dropped her guard as she hurried to catch up with her friend.

"Naoki!" Aimi called out to her. But then she stopped…and saw that something was wrong. Naoki didn't react to her. Didn't turn around to greet her. It took a second for Aimi to realize the orange-lily petals were coming from Naoki. And then Aimi knew the horrible truth about her friend. Her friend was no longer alive…

Suddenly Naoki stopped and seemed to finally acknowledge Aimi's presence. And when she slowly turned around to face Aimi, Aimi was in for a gruesome sight. It was as she feared. Naoki had also succumbed to the Hanahaki Disease. Her glasses were missing but Naoki had bright orange lilies growing in her hair and her chest cavity. Her face had changed… No longer looking like a shy friendly girl, Naoki was glaring at Aimi with such frightening hatred. This left Aimi so stunned that she wasn't prepared when Naoki let out an angry growl and she lunged for her.

A scream escaped from Aimi has Naoki tried to strangle her. Luckily she was able to throw Naoki off and put distance between them. There was no hope for Naoki. Rather if she liked it or not, Aimi would have to fight back against her former friend. With a heavy heart, Aimi raised the Camera Obscura and prepared to battle. As Naoki moved in again to attack her, there was so much sadness, anger, and hatred in Naoki's dead eyes. Again and again Aimi pressed the shutter-button to exorcise Naoki. She wanted to put her friend's spirit to rest once and for all. There was nothing else to be done.

One fatal shot from the Camera Obscura put a stop to Naoki's attack. Naoki covered her face in sorrow and could only utter sadly. _I will…always…love you_. Naoki was no more… As soon as it was quiet again, Aimi took a moment to say a silent prayer for her poor friend. Would Naoki ever find peace? Or was she doomed to haunt this village too? Now that she knew the fate of Naoki Sugitani, there was no reason to stay in Matsumura. Aimi started to head for the exit when something on the ground caught her notice. It was a glowing orange-lily. Somehow just by looking at it, she knew it belonged to Naoki. Just like before, she reached to touch the flower to learn what was in Naoki's heart.

* * *

(**Flashback**)

_In the school courtyard, it was the only place where Naoki was free to watch her crush. Standing by a maple-tree, Naoki gazed lovingly over at a tall boy standing around and talking to his friends. Her heart burst with happiness just at the mere sight of him. But then it filled her pure sadness. He didn't love her… He was in love with someone else. She would never be the one._

_And yet, Naoki couldn't stop watching the boy of her dreams. She watched his every movement, listened to the sound of his laughter, and then she knew… Naoki would never stop loving him. She would always love him, even if it meant having to live a life without his love in return._

* * *

The vision ended. Then Aimi found something else on the ground. It looked like a photo. And when Aimi bent down to pick it up, she saw it contained a picture of a handsome-looking boy. Aimi immediately recognized him. It was Shou Fujiyama… A boy who went to the same school as her and Naoki… In the picture, a heart had been drawn around his picture. As Aimi looked at the picture, that's when she put two and two together. So it was Shou that Naoki had a crush on? The very same boy that she, Aimi also had a crush on. Things didn't end very well for poor Naoki. Shou didn't return Naoki's feelings.

But when Aimi gazed at the photograph, it also filled her with wistfulness. Aimi Hanazawa had grown up with Shou Fujiyama along with his little sister and her best friend, Ume. Since childhood, Aimi had always loved Shou from the moment she met him. She loved him for years… and yet she never told him. Because of her sixth sense and coming from a family of psychics, she didn't think Shou would desire a girl like her. Deep down, Aimi knew she was different and not like others… Yet it didn't stop her from loving Shou anyway, even if he might never love her.

At that very moment, that's when it began… Without warning, Aim felt another sharp pain in her chest that it made her wince. Massaging the soreness in her chest, she started to feel very queasy. Feeling her stomach churning inside her, Aimi unexpectedly ended up throwing up. It felt good at first but then the pain only returned. Aimi waited for her heart to stop pounding so hard. But when she looked down at the ground, she realized that she'd cough up white petals. Staring at the white petals in shock, Aimi clapped a hand over her mouth in horror. Could it be? Was she also starting to develop the disease?

"_Oh no… What do I do?_" Aimi thought worriedly. This was not good. Was it because of her emotions? Did thinking about her feelings for Shou trigger it? Or has being here in Matsumura somehow cursed her? What was going to happen to her now? Would she, too, end up sharing Naoki's fate?

Aimi managed to calm herself down and think things through. There was only one thing to do. Gripping the Camera Obscura with both hands, Aimi knew that it was up to her to solve the mystery of Hanahaki Disease. She had to learn about its origins and its cure. It was the only way. From that moment on, Aimi knew that she couldn't leave the village…


	3. Chapter 3: The Unrequited

**Each chapter will take on the role of the three main protagonists respectively. Kinda similar to the game itself. Nevertheless, it should be easy for readers to keep up with some of the chapters. With that outta the way, enjoy another haunted chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Unrequited**

Ume Fujiyama found herself drawn to the lonely town of Matsumura. She'd been troubled by Aimi's behavior lately. The last she heard from her best friend, Aimi said she was going to the abandoned village to look for Naoki Sugitani, another good friend of theirs. The whole thing gave her a bad feeling that before she knew it, Ume was heading to the town herself to see if she could be of any help. She should have come sooner. Ume didn't like the idea of her best friend roaming around this creepy village all by herself. As Ume stepped into the town of Matsumura, luckily she didn't come alone.

Her big brother, Shou Fujiyama stepped up beside her and he too was gazing around the empty houses with a look of concern. Shou was tall and his raven-black hair a little unkempt. He wore a casual short-sleeved light-blue collar-shirt with double-pockets, along with navy-blue jeans and black shoes. Shou was a kind and thoughtful young man whose likable personality enabled him to get along with anyone. Ume had the same hair-color as her brother, but she liked to wear her long sleek hair up into a ponytail. She was wearing a lavender-purple lace tank-top, adorned with a white ribbon, while wearing a matching red-violet shorts and white flat dress shoes over black stockings. Ume was outgoing and headstrong, and fiercely loyal to her loved ones.

As Shou stood close by his sister's side, he looked around the dark and lifeless town of Matsumura. "Aimi…" he whispered gently. He knew she was here. He won't rest until he found her safe and sound.

"Are you okay?" Ume asked him. Shou nodded his head distractedly and this brought a fond smile on Ume's face. Her brother was no doubt thinking about Aimi again… "Don't worry. We'll find her, ok?"

Together the two Fujiyama siblings began their own exploration of the town. Shou led the way and they walked along a different trail that took them into the neighborhood of empty unoccupied houses. While Shou was keeping a lookout, Ume was holding on to a precious family heirloom… the Mystic Mirror. An old silver hand-held mirror said to possess spiritual powers. Her mother had passed it down to her and said the mirror had the ability to "reveal the truth" to those who seek it. For some reason, she felt the need to bring the mirror with her. Maybe the Mystic Mirror could help lead her to hidden clues?

Ume was looking at her reflection in the mirror while her brother Shou was going up to some of the doors of the abandoned houses and trying to open them. Most of the doors were either too rotten or boarded up. However one house seemed to stand out from the others. It was certainly in better shape than the other little houses and looked well-lived in. Maybe someone important lived in this house? Shou tried opening the door but saw that it was locked. They would need a key… While Shou was searching around, Ume went over to the mailbox and was able to read the name written on the side. "**Genda**…" Ume investigated further by opening the mailbox and to her surprise found pieces of notes inside. Was it mail? She pulled them out and saw that they contained interesting information about the town of Matsumura.

* * *

**Genda's Note 2**

The Tsuchiya Cemetery is located in the woods on the western part of town. From what I was able to learn, the cemetery is where the noble family members of the Kimura Clan are buried. When I first visited the cemetery, the scenery was absolutely breath-taking. But what stands out the most in the cemetery are the red spider lilies that grow rampant among the ancient tombstones and graves.

The red spider lilies hold a lot of symbolism in the town. They're known as flowers of death and for good reason. It's believed long ago that these flowers were first planted around tombstones to prevent animals from disturbing the grave in any way. It was even believed that red spider lilies guided the dead to their next reincarnation. There are a lot of superstitions about the flower but perhaps the most popular one is told in the town for generations.

Some legends have it that when you see someone that you may never meet again, these flowers will bloom along the path. I can't help but wonder. For each spider lily I see, does it mean each one is an abandoned love, never to be seen again? The cemetery is beautiful but has a very lonely atmosphere to it.

* * *

Shou was walking over to her just as Ume was finished reading. "Find anything?" Shou asked her.

Reading the notes did give Ume an idea. "Let's go to the cemetery. It's the other side of town," she suggested. Shou nodded and led the way. They left the Genda residence. They weren't able to get inside for now.

Ume and Shou continued their journey and along the way came to see there were an empty elementary school and an abandoned hospital in the town as well. There was no way to enter either building because it was locked up and inaccessible. Now Ume and Shou were leaving the houses behind and walking along a Floral Trail. They had a nice view of the river from here and could hear the sound of flowing water. And on the other side of the river was the towering mountain. Ume and Shou couldn't sight-see for long. They've finally reached Tsuchiya Cemetery. Standing before the big Torii Gate, they were about to enter a place filled with the dead… The two siblings hesitated before Shou gave Ume an encouraging nod. There Ume stepped through the gate first, followed by her brother.

Despite its dark and forlorn appearance, Tsuchiya Cemetery was a beautiful old-fashioned woodland cemetery with millions of gravestones, tombs, stone-lanterns, and Jizo statues. As Ume and Shou gazed around in awe, at the same time, it was spooky to wander around a cemetery around this time of night. But they were here now and decided to explore. They walked along a well-paved cobblestone path that led them through countless aisles of graves. Some of the stone lamps were lit, enabling them to see the path and make out some of the readings on the tombstones.

There were many graves of religious leaders, feudal lords, military commanders and even older gravestones. Some dating back to the 1600 century… There was a lot of history to be found here. The Tsuchiya cemetery was large and all its paths were labyrinthine by design. Ume and Shou weren't entirely sure what they were supposed to be searching for.

"Stay close," Shou instructed Ume. "This place is like a maze. We could easily get lost…" Shou got no response. "Ume?" he turned around to see that his sister had stopped walking and was staring down at the mirror in her hand with a look of amazement. "What is it?" Shou asked.

It wasn't her imagination. Ume could feel the Mystic Mirror grow warm in her hand. And when she tried looking into it, she saw something else entirely. The mirror was reflecting a tombstone but Ume saw something different. Carefully positioning the mirror, she held it up near the tombstone and saw something was hidden. Something that couldn't be seen by the naked eye… Shou was watching in fascination as the mirror revealed a hidden item sitting invisible on the top of the tombstone inside its reflection. Suddenly the Mystic Mirror let off a flash and the item materialized right on the tombstone for real. Ume picked it up to see it was a stone-mirror...Amazing. Ume and Shou looked to each other and both finally understood the secret of the mirror. The Mystic Mirror could reveal hidden objects and expose any ghostly activities. It was a useful item after all…

Walking along the path, it wasn't easy traveling through the cemetery because some pathways led to a dead end. While exploring, Ume was holding the Mystic Mirror up and watching everything that was being reflected in it. But she didn't see any other hidden items. As she was following her brother, Ume couldn't help but look at each of the tombstones and read the names of the deceased. Suddenly it filled her with a familiar depression. Being in this gloomy cemetery was bringing back memories for her… _Ume Fujiyama was dressed all in black and was staring unseeingly at the ceremony taking place before her. She almost didn't come but now that she stood here and watched it happen… it all didn't seem real to her. But now as she watched his body being cremated and his soul being put to the rest… the harsh reality finally hit her hard. He was gone. He was really gone. And Ume never stopped loving him, even in death…_

Ume's sad thoughts were interrupted by Shou's voice calling to her. The Fujiyama siblings found themselves in a different section of the cemetery. It was here they saw countless red spider lilies growing around every grave. This looked to be the ancient part of the Tsuchiya cemetery. The tombstones looked older and were covered in moss; their scriptures were too illegible to read. From what they were able to make out, some of the tombstones dated back years and years. No doubt old noble clans and their family members were buried around these parts. Just as it was described in the notes, the red spider-lilies growing among the graves were a pretty sight to behold, but it was also creepy too. Especially considering what the red spider lilies represented…

While exploring this section of the cemetery, Ume and Shou discovered something of interest. Separated from the other graves and standing alone in between cedar trees was a little shrine. The hokora looked ordinary enough and was resting on top of a carefully pile of cobblestone rocks. Shou approached the little shrine and peeked inside its opening. Oddly the little shrine appeared to be empty with the exception of a shimenawa with shide wrapped around the outside. He wondered what the shrine was here for. Ume was instead staring at the Mystic Mirror which had grown warm in her hand again. That's when she knew that something must be hidden at this shrine. Now Shou watched as Ume held up the mirror and positioned it until it was perfectly aligned with the shrine. Ume and Shou looked into the mirror and they saw something strange.

The mysterious shrine in the mirror's reflection was filled to the brim with bright glowing flowers of all kinds. Roses of all different colors, morning-glories, carnations, pansies, hyacinths, daisies and more… As Ume moved the mirror even further, she also saw that most of the colorful glimmering flowers were planted in the ground around the shrine. How odd that these ghostly flowers couldn't be seen with the naked eye. What did it mean? And that's when Ume found something hidden inside the shrine. When the Mystic Mirror exposed its existence, this time Shou was able to reach in and pull out old-looking documents that looked like it was written from long ago.

* * *

**Genda's Note 3**

**Shrine of Longing**

During my exploration of the Tsuchiya cemetery, I stumbled upon a little shrine located in the oldest part of the cemetery. According to what the groundskeeper told me, it was known as the Shrine of Longing. It turns out that those who suffer Hanahaki Disease could have their roots cut out to stop the flow of flowers. Then the patient brings what remains of their flowers here to bury in the shrine. In other words, forever casting away their feelings of love…

The shrine was empty but I had the funny feeling that something was here. Every so often, prayers are offered and sacred water is sprinkled around the ground here. No doubt this was done to appease those with unrequited love. It was a sad thing to see. To know that even love is capable of dying. Or perhaps the shrine stands as a symbol of moving on. I wonder what ritual is done to rid one of their feelings. The groundskeeper informed me that the local priest would probably know.

* * *

After reading the notes, Shou looked back at the shrine and his thoughts began to wander. "_The Shrine of Longing..? A place where people bury away their unreturned love_," he thought. Then this made him think about Aimi… Suddenly Shou felt a sharp pain inside his chest that he placed a hand over it.

"Shou? Are you ok?" Ume asked, noticing her brother's momentary pained expression. She stepped up beside him and looked him over with concern. Somehow she couldn't take her eyes off of the shrine after learning of its supposed purpose. A place where one can cast their love away forever… Somehow this forced her to think about her own unresolved feelings…

"I'm fine," Shou said reassuringly. The pain in his chest subsided but it did worry him. "Let's move on." Ume nodded and holding the mirror in both hands, followed after Shou, leaving the Shrine of Longing behind.

They kept an eye out for their friend Aimi anywhere, but for now, Ume and Shou continued to wander further into the Tsuchiya Cemetery. They too wanted to learn more about the mysterious Hanahaki Disease. They've managed to explore most of the cemetery. But then Ume stopped walking when she felt the Mystic Mirror in her hand grow warm. The mirror seemed to be responding to some ghostly activity… Shou looked up when he also saw the Mystic Mirror reacting to something. Ume looked around using the mirror's reflection to explore all around the area. At first she didn't see it but eventually the Mystic Mirror revealed it to her…

There was a grassy hill to their left, but according to the Mystic Mirror, there was a hidden path. Stone-stairs that led to the top of the hill… A path most likely concealed by the ghosts… But now that the Mystic Mirror exposed its existence, Ume and Shou found themselves looking up at the flight of stone-steps for real. From what they could make out, there appeared to be another cemetery on top of the hill. Ume looked to her brother who gave her a brave smile. Then Shou went up the stone-steps first with Ume following close behind. As they went up the stairs together, they both wondered the same thing. Why was this cemetery hidden away like that?

When they've finally reached the top, Ume and Shou quickly saw that this cemetery especially looked old. It was filled with ancient grave markers and headstones that were so moss-covered that the writings on it had long rubbed off. Even the trees up here looked just as old as the graves. As Ume and Shou began their exploration, they studied some of the grave markers with fascination. By the looks of it, this looked like a family grave. Shou was studying the grave markers when he happened to look up and realized he had a good view of the mountain from up here. Ume was slowly walking around the gravestones while holding up the Mystic Mirror in case anything was hidden from view.

And then the Mystic Mirror did pick something up. Ume looked into its glassy depths to see what appeared to be a sotoba that was giving off a strange ghostly aura. How odd… Ume pointed over to the sotoba and Shou went over to investigate it. It looked normal at first glance but there was definitely something here. For some odd reason, the Mystic Mirror could only expose its ghostly aura but nothing else. Perhaps another tool was needed to reveal the secret to this old tombstone? Shou felt a strong presence emanating from this gravestone.

"I think this might've been the Kimura family grave," Shou said over his shoulder to Ume. "Most of the gravestones here have the surname Kimura written on them. The Kimura family must have been an influential clan here in town once." Suddenly Shou heard his sister let out a loud gasp. "Ume?" Shou spun around on the spot at the sound of Ume's frightened cry.

Ume's fear had frozen her that she couldn't move. Her heart was starting to race and her hands couldn't stop shaking as she couldn't tear her eyes away from the Mystic Mirror. Because inside the mirror, she could see it clear as day… Somebody was rising out of the dirt ground among the graves. Someone very pale….Someone very dead. Shou hurried over to Ume and he also caught the image reflected in the mirror. Then he looked over just in time to see the ghost make its ghoulish appearance. It appeared to be a ghostly man. A man covered head to toe in dirt and mud. The man's expression was one of open-mouthed horror as his face was covered with dirt-stains that smeared his features. His clothes were rotten and tattered and it was hard to tell who he might've been in life. A ghost who refused to stay buried…

Ume and Shou backed away fearfully as the Buried Man turned its dead sight on them. With a bone-chilling groan, the buried man turned hostile, and began moving in for an attack. Shou instinctively moved in front of his little sister to protect her while Ume still held the mirror in her hands. Ume was distracted by frightening ghost when she realized the Mystic Mirror was glowing warm in her hands. It grew so hot that she feared the mirror would her. But to their surprise, the Mystic Mirror let out a bright flash that seemed to stun the ghost and make it back off. Shou and Ume both stared down at the silver mirror in wonder.

The Mystic Mirror didn't just have the ability to reveal hidden items and ghostly activity. It was capable of exorcising ghosts in its own way. Now fully understanding the full purpose of the mirror, Ume boldly stepped around Shou and prepared to take on the ghost herself. Holding the mirror with hands, Ume carefully pointed the mirror at the Buried Man who was moving toward them again. Catching the ghost's reflection, she could feel the mirror heating up again before giving off another powerful flash that sent the Buried Man reeling again. Somehow the Mystic Mirror seemed to absorb the ghost's spiritual energy thus rendering it weak. Ume felt her brother's shoulders on her hands which gave her the inner strength to fight back against the malicious ghost.

As Ume waited for the Buried Man to swoop in for another attack, instead she watched as the groaning ghostly man seemed to take a moment to reach up and grab at the dirt and muck that covered his being. Then as she watched warily, Ume cried out in alarm as the ghost cunningly tossed patches of dirt in their direction. Ume looked down to see the Mystic Mirror covered with dirt and realized its power was starting to wane. She frantically began brushing off the dirt and tried wiping the mirror clean. Ume looked up and screamed upon seeing the Buried Man's dirt-riddled hands reaching out for her neck. Instead Shou leaped in front of his sister and the ghost grabbed for him instead.

"Ume, now!" Shou shouted while grappling with the attacking ghost.

With her heart still pounding hard inside her chest, Ume managed to fully wipe the mirror clean before quickly holding it up and positioning it at the ghost. Shou managed to wrestle the Buried Man off just as Ume felt the Mystic Mirror warming up in her hands as she prepared to put the ghost to rest once. One last powerful flash from the mirror and the Buried Man was stumbling back and wailing in defeat before vanishing altogether. Once they were sure it was safe again, Ume could feel the Mystic Mirror still warm in her hands. Then Ume fell to her knees and suddenly felt queasy in her stomach. She suddenly wasn't feeling so well…

"Are you okay, Ume?" Shou asked. He gently knelt down beside her and tried to help Ume get back on her feet. Without warning, Ume threw up... And as Shou looked on in concern, that's when he first saw it.

Once her stomach stopped hurting, Ume looked down to see violet-colored petals on the ground. She was confused at first but then realized what it must mean. "_This can't be right!_" Ume thought worriedly. "_How can I contract the disease? I'm not suffering from one-sided love!_" But deep in her heart, Ume knew that wasn't entirely true. There was someone she was still in love with. Someone who would never be able to return her feelings.

Shou had seen the violet petals on the ground too. He knew what it meant. And he was more scared than ever before. "Come on, Ume. We need to leave," he urged her. "We need to leave here." Shou helped his sister to stand up and wrapped an arm around her. "We need to go now. We'll look for Aimi later. But let's get you out of here."

Ume nodded her head in agreement and allowed Shou to guide her toward the stone pathway that led back down the hill. Before they left the old hill cemetery, Shou spotted something in the distance on the mountain. Narrowing his eyes for a better look, Shou could make out a building up on the mountain. It kinda looked like a shrine of some sort. What was up there?

"_Unloved forever… To be unloved…forever_…" A voice…a woman's voice, cold as ice, suddenly spoke out. The Fujiyama siblings froze when they felt coldness sweep over them like a blanket. Shou got a horrible chill down his spine when he realized the voice came from behind them. "_I will never be loved. Never be loved, never._"

Ume was silent but Shou could hear his sister's heart pounding just as hard as his own. Shou very slowly turned his head to face the new threat. That's when they encountered her for the first time. A woman in an orange kimono. Bright red spider lilies covered half her face, her mouth, and her chest. The woman was cursing foully to herself among the old gravestones. Such coldness in her voice and her one dead eye… staring hatefully at Shou. Shou couldn't stop staring at the spider-lily ghost. Who was she? Was she the one making the air so cold? And as the spider-lily woman floated silently among the gravestones, suddenly she was aiming right for them with terrifying speed.

"_You will never be loved! Never, ever loved! Lonely for life!_" So much anger, so much hatred in her voice. Shou wondered what could have possibly have happened to make her so bitter. He didn't have time to think. Shou was already running down the stairs with Ume in tow. When he looked back behind him, to his horror, he saw the red-spider lily woman pursing him. The cold air also seemed to follow him. Ume started coughing again and more petals came flowing out of her mouth. It made Shou all the more determined to flee the cemetery. To put as much distance between them and that vengeful ghost…

Shou didn't stop running until he and Ume were far from the Tsuchiya cemetery. He was out of breath, his heart was still pounding, but he didn't stop until they were a safe distance. By the time they were running through the neighborhood of old houses, Shou turned to look back and saw that the red-spider lily ghost finally stopped hounding them. But Shou decided they needed to leave Matsumura anyway. He continued to guide Ume to safety. There were still a lot of mysteries to solve. What was at the top of the mountain? But most of all, who was the woman in the orange kimono and why was she so angry? For now, the Fujiyama siblings retreated from the haunted village…

* * *

**I think it's pretty obvious at this point who the "main antagonist" is in my story. And don't worry, readers will learn about her story soon enough. I thought using a Mirror as a weapon is a pretty neat touch. I wouldn't mind seeing it in an actual Fatal Frame game. The mysterious of Matsumura continues! All mysteries will be solved soon enough. More updates will be forthcoming! Thanks for reading so far! **


	4. Chapter 4: The Soul-Bonding Ritual

**So far so good. When I wrote this Fatal Frame story, I kinda wanted my readers to also feel like they're playing the game at the same time. We haven't gotten any news of a future upcoming Fatal Frame game yet but we're definitely due for one! In the meantime, I came up with this story idea for fun. Hope my readers are having fun reading it! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Soul-Binding Ritual**

The Fujiyama siblings successfully escaped from the dangers of Matsumura for the time being. Shou brought Ume back to their navy-blue Ford Explorer where she was sitting on the passenger seat trying to catch her breath from all the running. Thankfully Ume was no longer coughing up petals but she was in very bad shape. Shou decided to leave his little sister here to rest up until she was feeling stronger. Ume had been massaging her chest and waiting for the sick sensation to simmer down, but she looked up and gave Shou a little weak smile to reassure him.

"I'm fine now," Ume told him. "It doesn't hurt anymore, see?" And yet Ume couldn't stop worrying about her own heart. She had Hanahaki disease too and if she didn't do something about it… Ume couldn't think about that now.

As soon as he was sure Ume was okay, Shou turned away and looked in the direction of Matsumura. They couldn't leave town….not yet. And besides, their dear friend was still somewhere in the village. Shou decided to go look for Aimi himself. "You stay here. I'm going to go see if I can find Aimi," Shou said.

Ume gave Shou's hand a reassuring squeeze before leaning back in the passenger seat and closing her eyes to rest. His sister would be safe in the car on the outskirts of town. But just to be safe, Shou took out a flashlight from the glove compartment and also picked up the Mystic Mirror that had been tossed in the backseat and decided to take it with him. At least that'll way he'll have something to defend himself with against those restless ghosts… Now Shou returned to the lonely town of Matsumura to learn more of its history and secrets.

Armed with the mirror, Shou was once again walking among the empty dilapidated houses by himself. Now that he knew of the dangers, Shou was constantly on guard. People have died in this very village. Those suffering from one-sided love succumbed to the Hanahaki disease. And this made him think about Aimi… She was here somewhere. And every time Shou pictured her face in his mind, it sent his heart aflutter and he was filled with strong emotions. He hoped Aimi was safe. He wanted to see her… Shou stopped walking when he felt another sharp pain inside his chest. It was the second time this happened. What did it mean?

Before he went any further, Shou happened to reach into his jeans-pocket and pulled out the Lotus Plate Key that he found back at the Tsuchiya Cemetery. Perhaps he could start with figuring out what this key unlocked? Walking further into the town, Shou did a quick calculation in his head. This path led back to the cemetery that was in the eastern part of town. So Shou decided to start heading north of the town, in the direction of the mountain. While he used his flashlight to explore some of the uninhabited houses, he stopped when he noticed someone walking in the distance. Shou had to squint his eyes to see who the dark figure was. And then he immediately recognized it…

"Aimi?" he realized. He watched as Aimi Hanazawa walked right around the corner and went out of sight. She was heading towards the mountain too. "Aimi!" Shou called out. He broke into a run and hurried to catch up to her.

Shou ran around the corner too and up ahead he saw Aimi crossing an arched bridge before vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. Shou decided to follow her. Upon reaching the bridge himself, he happened to stop and look over the side. He could see the river down below, could hear the sound of rushing water. Suddenly he felt the Mystic Mirror grow warm in his hand. When Shou looked up, he saw someone slowly walking across the bridge toward him. At first he thought it was Aimi… but Shou quickly saw that it wasn't. Instead he backed away upon seeing the dead woman for the first time.

The woman appeared to be dressed in a grey-blue kimono that may have once been fashionable but was now tattered and ripped. But the scariest thing about her was that she had a drenched appearance…and her neck was covered in what was unmistakably blood. The implications were disturbing… Shou took a couple more steps back as the Slayed Mistress began to advance on him. Unfortunately she blocked him on the bridge so he had no choice but to fight back.

Shou held up the mirror and remembered how Ume used to do it. Carefully trying to capture the ghost's reflection in the mirror, Shou waited for the Mystic Mirror to grow hot in his hands before letting out a blinding flash. As he hoped, this stopped the Slayed Mistress in its tracks but she kept coming for him. As Shou kept the mirror pointed at the ghost at all times, his eyes was constantly drawn to the bloodstains that pooled around the ghost woman's throat. Was it possible...that she was killed here on the bridge? Suddenly the Slayed Mistress disappeared… Shou didn't lower the mirror, he had a feeling she wasn't gone. But while he was searching carefully around for her, Shou cried out when he felt something icy cold grab his leg from below.

Looking down, Shou spotted the ghost attacking him from beneath the bridge. The Slayed Mistress held his foot and seemed to hold him in place. Shou struggled hard and managed to free his leg and took a couple steps back as the ghost sank below the bridge and out of sight. With the mirror in hand, Shou waited for the ghost to appear again. Then Shou turned in time to see the Slayed Mistress on the other side of the bridge, moving toward him with arms outstretched and her lifeless eyes staring at him. Holding the Mystic Mirror in front of him, Shou concentrated with all his might and delivered the coup d grace with a powerful blinding light.

Shou watched as the Slayed Mistress grabbed at her slashed throat in pain, stumbled over the side of bridge and fell over it and out of sight… When the sound of the wind and chirping crickets returned, that's when Shou knew it was safe again. Shou looked over the bridge but it was pitch dark down there and he couldn't see much. Now Shou was able to proceed and he headed for the dark looming mountain before him. Aimi was there… He had to find her.

With the flashlight in hand, Shou was able to follow a trail up the mountain. This was probably the path that hikers used to take. As Shou went further and further upward, he wondered if this is where Aimi went. Soon Shou ended up reading a fork in the road. There were multiple paths to take. Shou used to his flashlight to read the signpost that had different directions to certain places. To the right was the Takayama Mines, to the left of the mountain was the House of Severance, and straight ahead was the Shrine of Oath. After a moment of deciding, Shou kept heading straight toward the Shrine of Oath. It seemed to be the closest. Shou continued to follow the path upwards while being careful to follow the trail and watch his step.

Just when Shou was wondering how far he'd traveled, eventually the ground began to even and Shou managed to reach the top of the mountainous hill. Up ahead, Shou saw a large magnificent shrine before him. Brightly lit lanterns lined along the path and Shou thought he saw someone standing at the doorway. A woman in an orange kimono… It was only for a brief second that when Shou blinked, she'd vanished… Shou thought the ghostly woman looked familiar. Now he headed for the shrine and reached out to pull open the doors to gain entrance. What was this place? What was the Shrine of Oath?

Entering the shrine, Shou saw it was even grander inside. The shrine was in surprisingly good shape despite being abandoned for so long. Although it still showed signs of neglect with all the dust and was in disrepair. The doors closed behind him as Shou stepped inside and looked around with the flashlight. It didn't look like anybody's been here in a long time. Then the first thing Shou's flashlight shined on was a little altar which contained lit candles and in its center a lovely vase filled with peonies. The flowers were arranged in such an artistic style that Shou recognized it as Ikebana. While Shou was admiring the peonies, that's when he spotted the notes lying on the altar. Using his flashlight to see, Shou was able to read what was written on it.

* * *

**Genda's Note 5**

Matsumura is run by the local village headman. A priest who resides in the mountain shrine and keeps peace and order in the town. The shrine is also known as a place where one can learn the art of Ikebana, also known as "Flower Arrangement." According to some older documents I found in the library, this shrine was also once known by another name. The Shrine of Oath… Just as I figured, this shrine was once used to cure those who suffered from Hanahaki Disease.

Long ago, there were two known rituals that were performed in order to rid themselves of this affliction. The Soul-Bonding Ritual and the Severing Ritual. I wasn't able to find the rest of the pages that gives further information on these rituals. For some reason, these practices ceased altogether and nobody has ever witnessed these rituals being performed for centuries. Nevertheless, this doesn't stop people from coming to the village in the hopes of having their love reciprocated.

Apparently there is another shrine on the mountain called the House of Severance, one where they can forever sever their feelings and love for the object of their affection. While this ritual was successful in curing Hanahaki Disease, it came at a high price. Those who have their flowers cut and removed will forever lose their love for that person forever. Such a tragic fate and one not many are willing to endure.

* * *

As Shou finished reading the notes, he was intrigued by this latest information. _"So there is a cure for Hanahaki Disease_," Shou thought to himself. "_The House of Severance._" Shou knew that it was the only way. He had to bring Ume to this place if he wanted to cure his sister. But for now, Shou needed to find Aimi. So Shou decided to go exploring further into the shrine. Shou headed for the door that was just on the left side of the altar and saw that it was unlocked. Soon Shou was walking down a long dark corridor with only his flashlight to light the way. For some eerie reason, it was especially cold inside this building. Shou was aware of his own beating heart and he continued to feel pain inside his chest. At the end of the corridor, Shou reached a large hallway with more paths to take. There was a corridor to his left, old rickety stairs that led to a second floor, and to his right Shou saw a shadowy person slowly walking right around the corner.

"Aimi?" Shou realized it was Aimi. She was here. "Aimi, wait! Wait up!" Shou called. And then he hurried down the corridor to his right, eager to catch up with his friend.

Turning around the corner, Shou saw Aimi heading out a door and disappearing beyond it. When Shou tried to hurry after her, the door slammed shut. But when he tried pushing open the door, to his dismay, the door wouldn't budge. Then Shou sensed a ghostly presence was sealing the door shut. Shou stood there with a troubled frown and wondered what to do. And that's when he felt the Mystic Mirror warming up in the palm of his hand. When Shou held up the mirror, to his amazement, the Mystic Mirror seemed to gain a new ability on its own.

Shou pointed the mirror towards the ghostly aura and when he looked into its reflection, he saw something very different. Instead on reflecting the door, the mirror was showing some other place. In the reflection, it appeared to be a place filled with potted plants and flowers. By the looks of it, it seemed to be from somewhere outside. Maybe there was something there? Now Shou turned and headed back down the corridor to see if he could find the place that was reflected in the Mystic Mirror.

Now Shou wondered where else to go. He gazed over at the staircase and curiously wondered what was up there. There Shou began to carefully climb up the old wooden rickety stairs that creaked underneath his shoes. When he reached the top, Shou found himself stepping into a little library filled with books of all kinds. Using his flashlight to investigate, Shou examined some of the book shelves. Most of the books were dusty and tattered. However one book-tile caught Shou's eye. There he pulled out a notebook and noticed some interesting handwritings on it.

* * *

**The Language of Flowers**

"Hanakotoba" refers to the art of assigning meanings and symbolism to flowers. The ancient art of Hanakotoba has been practiced for centuries and to a lesser extent continues today. In the Japanese culture, presenting flowers have a special meaning to them. The following includes the most common flowers with meanings.

**Daffodil = Respect**

**Anemone = Sincere**

**Lavender = Faithful**

**Zinnia = Loyalty**

**Sweet Pea = Goodbye**

**Poppy = Success**

**Hydrangea = Pride**

**Bluebell = Grateful**

* * *

Shou studied the written chart and found it fascinating. He decided to keep it with him. Then Shou went over to explore the bookshelves on the other side. Most of the books haven't been touched in a long time. However Shou did see another notebook that caught his eye. Carefully pulling it out so as not to tear it, Shou saw that this one contained the very information he'd been looking for. Perhaps this would give him the answers he'd been seeking.

* * *

**Soul-Binding Ritual**

The origins of this ritual are inspired by Kokuhaku, which means "confession." It is done when a man or woman declares their love for another and hopes to begin dating. In the case of the Soul-Bonding Ritual, this became a practice to also cure those with Hanahaki Disease. It's believed that when one's love is returned, their flowers will wilt away, restoring their heart.

The Shrine of Oath offers a special place known locally as the Covet Courtyard; a specially designed place by the priest to allow those to confess their love. It was here that sufferers of Hanahaki Disease brought their love interests in order to create a bond. According to local legends, Covet Courtyard was the very same place where the daughter of the Kimura lord was once married. It has since then become a popular spot for lovers to explore and for love confessions to take place.

* * *

After reading through it, a lot of thoughts went racing through Shou's mind. "_This is it. This is the answer. But Ume is_…" Shou knew it was no good. His sister wouldn't be able to make a love confession. So this wouldn't help her. He knew there was only one way to cure Ume's disease. "_I have to take her to the House of Severance. It's the only way now._" But before he did anything else, he needed to find Aimi. She was still here. Satisfied that he had the information he needed, Shou turned and started to leave the library. But then he happened to notice a square-shaped window with moonlight pouring out. There Shou went over to the window and peered outside it. He saw a magnificent sight.

He could see below him a large courtyard filled with large rocks and brightly lit stone-lanterns. The most beautiful and most exotic hibiscus flowers decorated the garden which especially would look breath-taking during daytime. A large pond filled with lily-pads and stepping stones led to a gazebo that was right in the middle of pond. And standing there in the gazebo was Aimi Hanazawa… Shou tried calling out to Aimi but she didn't respond. Maybe she was too far away. Aimi stood perfectly still in the gazebo and seemed to be completely out of it. Shou needed to reach her…

Shou turned away from the window and went back down the stairs. Now he decided to explore the corridor to his left. At the end of the hallway, Shou came upon another door that was unlocked. Here Shou found himself stepping outside of the building where he could see a dirt-path leading away from the shrine and into the trees. Using his flashlight to light the way, Shou decided to see what was back there. He could still hear the chirping crickets and the sound of the wind blowing through the dark trees. Finally Shou reached the end of the path and was surprised to see what appeared to be a large greenhouse.

Even in the darkness, Shou could make out lots of plants and flowers being housed inside. It made sense. Flowers were probably grown here in order to use for Ikebana or other ceremonial uses. As Shou stepped closer to the greenhouse and shined his flashlight to investigate, that's when he remembered something. The Mystic Mirror had shown him a reflection of potted plants and flowers. Could this be the place? Now he went straight to the entrance and tried opening it. But to his surprise, he discovered that it was locked. However Shou did find a strange-looking padlock that seemed to keep the door firmly locked.

With the help of the flashlight, Shou saw words written on the padlock. Words he was able to make out. "**The Lock of Loyalty…** Written in Japanese below that was flower names also written in Japanese. **Suisen, Anburoshia, Rabenda, Jinia, Suitopi, Popi, Ajisai, Buruberu**. Shou was feeling stumped as he wondered how to solve this padlock puzzle. Wasn't there any way to unlock it? After studying the flower names, that's when an idea occurred to him. Pulling out the notebook he found earlier in the library, Shou realized it contained clues. Going carefully over the chart, that's when Shou realized the puzzle was easier than he thought. Now Shou bent down to turn the knobs on the padlock until it connected to the right flower. The Zinnia flower…

Shou heard a "click" and the padlock easily slid off. Tossing it aside, now he had access to the greenhouse. Taking a deep breath and preparing himself to face whatever horror could be lurking inside; Shou opened the door and stepped into the greenhouse. Upon entering, it was hot and humid inside, and he caught the scent of fertilizer and flowers. The shelves were filled with potted plants and gardening tools. One shelf contained bonsai trees that used to be sold to the tourists. Now that Shou was here, he could feel the Mystic Mirror growing warm in his hand. There was something here…something ghostly…

Shou slowly began to walk along the aisle of shelves, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Some of the plants and flowers were withering away due to years of neglect. Shou was already starting to feel beads of sweet at his forehead and his heart was pounding nervously. The mystical aura of the mirror grew stronger when Shou approached what appeared to be a pile of ivy. This was it? Shou could feel it. There was something here. Shou tried using the mirror and spotted what appeared to be a ghostly Beckoning Hand among the ivy leaves. The Mystic Mirror let out a shining flash and the ghostly aura disappeared. The seal had been broken. Without warning, an ivy vine shot out and wrapped itself around Shou's wrist. In a panic, Shou furiously tried pulling his hand free. And just when he successfully freed himself, that's when the ghost made its appearance known to him.

Shou backed away at once when he realized lying on the ground before him had been a body. A body wrapped in ivy vines. His eyes widen in horror as the ghost of an old woman rose before him. The Lonesome Old Woman's whole body was wrapped in ivy vines. Her arms, her legs, and vines were even wrapped around her head and eyes…making her blind and unable to see. Despite this, the Lonesome Old Woman's vines floated snake-like and seemed to act like feelers… Shou's heart raced as the Lonesome Old Woman seemed to float menacingly toward him.

The Lonesome Old Woman's mouth gaped open which revealed her crooked teeth and the sounds of her heavy wheezing sent icy chills down Shou's back. As Shou kept his eyes on the ghostly old woman and held up the Mystic Mirror to exorcise her, unfortunately he accidentally bumped into the shelf and a pot fell to the floor with a loud shatter. Shou yelled out as the Lonesome Old Woman zeroed in on him and her ivy vines tried wrapping themselves around Shou's neck. Luckily he managed to break free and ran to put distance between him and the ghost.

When Shou turned around, he saw the Lonesome Old Woman was aimlessly floating around, but he could see her snake-like vines swaying through the air. The ghost was trying to locate him. With determination, Shou held up the Mystic Mirror and aligned it so that it faced the ghost. Gathering enough spiritual energy the Mystic Mirror let out a powerful flash that absorbed the ghost. The Lonesome Old Woman staggered back by the force of the mirror. And as Shou focused on capturing the ghost's reflection in the mirror, he cried out again and looked down to see ghostly vines slithering around his leg from the floor. Kicking his leg free, Shou looked up in time to see the Lonesome Old Woman lunging for him with all her ivy tendrils aiming straight for his throat. Shou held up the Mystic Mirror as a shield with perfect timing and there was a final powerful flash that sent the Lonesome Old Woman flinching.

Shou watched with pity as the Lonesome Old Woman let out a bitter wail while vanishing into thin air. Finally all was quiet again, and Shou knew it was time move on. With nothing else to find here, Shou left the greenhouse and returned to the Shrine of Oath. Returning to the hallways, this time Shou was able to head back the right corridor and to the door that led outside to the courtyard. Shou pushed the door open and stepped out onto the porch where he could see the beautiful courtyard for himself. And as Shou took a couple of steps to explore, his eyes fell on the gazebo and he could see someone still standing there.

"Aimi?" Shou called out. It had to be her. He'd seen her here earlier. Shou carefully walked on the stepping stones so as to slip into the pond. "Aimi, it's me. Shou. I've been looking for you…," Shou started to say.

But when Shou shined his flashlight over at the shadowy figure, Shou's heart dropped like a stone when he realized it wasn't her… Aimi wasn't here anymore but instead it was… "Naoki?" Shou said in surprise. The sound of his voice seemed to have alerted Naoki to his presence. Shou watched uneasily as Naoki slowly turned to face him. When he saw her face, Shou gasped and nearly almost dropped the flashlight into the pond.

"_Why…couldn't you…love me?_" Naoki asked. It didn't sound like a question. More like an accusation. Bright orange lilies burst from Naoki's chest and her neck. Her dead eyes glared angrily at Shou. "_Why couldn't…you love me_" she repeated. Shou couldn't answer and instead sadly hung his head in shame. Naoki Sugitani was dead…

"I…I'm sorry," Shou said sincerely. "I'm sorry." It was the exact same thing he told her last time. Unfortunately it wasn't what Naoki wanted to hear from him now. Or at least not her restless spirit…

Without warning, Naoki started to advance on Shou and he quickly saw that she was hostile and about to attack him. As much as Shou didn't want to, he had to use the Mystic Mirror to defend himself. It was the least he could do for Naoki. Shou turned and headed back to the grassy ground for more room to fight. When he turned around with the mirror ready in his hand, he saw that Naoki was pursuing him. Anger was all he saw in her eyes now… Shou held up the Mystic Mirror and pointed it at Naoki as she moved in to lunge for him again. The Mystic Mirror grew warm and strong until it let out a powerful exorcising flash. Shou didn't know if he was imagining it or not, but the mirror seemed to be getting stronger with more and more souls it captured.

Shou ducked out of the way as Naoki's ghostly hands tried reaching out for his neck. Putting distance between them, Shou held up the mirror and kept it pointed at the ghost at all times. Naoki was relentless in her attacks and wouldn't let up. And as Shou tried to keep her at bay at all times, suddenly she plucked an orange lily from her chest and fired it at Shou. The attack caught him off-guard but he yelled out when suddenly orange-lilies were starting to grow all over him like a parasite. Shou frantically tried ripping off the orange-lilies that were already starting to drain his health. His heart racing and his adrenaline pumping, it wasn't easy ripping off the flowers.

Somehow Shou managed to get all the flowers off him just as Naoki was taking the opportunity to attack him again. Shou was able to hold up the Mystic Mirror and caught Naoki's whole reflection before the mirror gave a powerful blinding flash that sent the poor girl reeling in shock. Naoki let out a heartbreaking scream before stumbling back and falling onto her side. Before she vanished from sight, Naoki seemed to have some regret in her actions as she hung her head and avoided Shou's gaze.

"_I wish…you could have loved me… too_…," was Naoki's final bitter words before disappearing. All that was left was a luminous orange lily on the ground. Shou gazed sadly at the orange lily and felt compelled to touch it. When he reached out to gently touch the flower, the flashback of Naoki's memories contained within the flower appeared before his very eyes.

* * *

(**Flashback**)

_Standing by the large maple tree by the school courtyard, Shou and Naoki stood facing each other. Shou waited for Naoki to say something but she seemed to be struggling with her shyness. And just when he thought she wouldn't say anything, Naoki finally blurted out her love for him. Naoki confessed her deepest feelings for him and how she'd wish to become his special someone. She said all of this very fast that Shou barely understood her at first. And then Naoki waited for his response…_

_Shou smiled embarrassedly and found her love confession flattering. Which was exactly why he had to tell her what was truly in his heart. "I'm sorry, Naoki. But I love someone else…_"

_Shou hated to see the crestfallen look on Naoki's face, to see her trying to hold back tears. Hurting Naoki was the last thing he wanted to do, but he had to be true to his heart. And even though he didn't return her feelings, Naoki Sugitani must have never stopped loving him even now._

* * *

Once the flashback was over, Shou finally understood. It was too late for Naoki Sugitani. It still made him feel guilty to know that her love for him was what ended up being her downfall. But the same fate awaits all those who suffered Hanahaki disease. All the more reason to find Aimi Hanazawa… Shou stood alone in the shrine courtyard and looked over to notice a door that seemed to lead out of the shrine. Shou wondered what to do now. Should he continue the search for Aimi? Or should he return to Ume and try to help cure her? It wasn't an easy decision to make but in the end, Shou decided to retreat for now. He was out of breath and shaky from that scary encounter with a former classmate. He would have to find another way to catch up with Aimi. For now, he had to make sure that Ume was okay.

* * *

**Naoki Sugitani's fate is truly unfortunate. She's a scary example of what happens to those who willingly allow the Hanahaki Disease to claim them. And it's the same fate that could befall Aimi and Ume. Yeah, I've done a lot of research into Japanese customs and symbolism and it's all pretty interesting stuff in case anyone wants to look it up. As you've already figured out, flowers play a big role in my story. Thanks for reading! More to come soon enough!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Severing Ritual

**Chapter 5: The Severing Ritual**

_In her dream, Ume walked among a field filled with nothing but brightly lit red spider lilies. There were millions of them as far as the eye can see… At first she didn't know where she was, but by looking around her environment, she could see that she appeared to be somewhere underground. A deep dark cave filled with pitch blackness. The glowing red spider lilies seemed to provide the only light. Ume felt like she was standing in a red ocean… She didn't know what this place was but she felt like she belonged here. It felt like… this was going to be her final resting place._

_Ume started walking forward; her feet automatically taking her further and further into the fields of flowers. She didn't know where she was going and the field of red spider lilies seemed unending. Eventually she did seem to come to the end of the field where beyond she saw nothing but blackness. But something about this darkness was unsettling. The air was thick and Ume was chilled to the bone. Something about the atmosphere in here was depressing. She felt like she's been abandoned. Ume was tempted to walk further into the darkness when a sudden echoey voice stopped her._

"_You mustn't walk into The Void. Only those who choose death may do so."_

_When Ume turned around, she saw a pale-white transparent man standing off to the side. From the looks of it, this man appeared to be a priest as he wore the traditional garments and wore an eboshi hat. The man was a ghost…and yet his voice was surprisingly soothing. Whoever he was, he wasn't a hostile ghost. Ume gazed over at him until the man disappeared. Ume stood where she was and wondered if this was what she truly wanted. _

_In her heart, she never stopped loving him. She continued to love him each and every day. And inside her heart, violets grew stronger and stronger until it threatened to suffocate her. It was at this very moment that Ume knew… This was where she would be last seen. No point in going on if she couldn't have love in her life. But importantly of all, if she couldn't love him in life, perhaps she could love him in death… Perhaps this was the only option left to her now. To allow the blooming flowers of emotion claim her. And as Ume entertained the idea of death, that's when she heard "her" voice again._

"_You will never be loved. Always alone…forever…" The woman in the orange-kimono… Standing among the dark fields, the Unloved Woman seemed to shine with the red spider lilies. As Ume stared at her in frozen fear, the ghostly woman only looked back at her bitterly. Her entire body was covered with red spider lilies. And that's when Ume knew… This was the Unloved Woman's resting place. Ume didn't know how she knew that, but she knew now she wouldn't be able to go back. _

_Ume gasped as violets unexpectedly burst out of her neck, choking her as she gasped for air._

* * *

Ume woke with a start inside the car. After a moment of trying to calm herself down and wait for her heart to stop thudding so much, she was able to remember where she was and what was happening. Her big brother Shou had gone back to Matsumura to look for Aimi. She didn't know how long she slept but one look around told her that Shou hadn't returned. She hoped Shou was ok… As Ume sat there, she started thinking about the odd dream she just had now. A dream about a field of red spider-lilies… A place where people go to willingly die from Hanahaki Disease… The very idea was disturbing but it did make Ume wonder if such a place like that existed.

Now that she was awake, Ume was feeling much better. Her chest didn't hurt as much and she wasn't vomiting up any more petals. But she was still worried. She still had the disease… As Ume sat in the passenger seat, she happened to look in the rearview mirror and gasped aloud at what she saw. There was someone standing behind the car… At first she didn't recognize him, but then Ume realized who it was. It couldn't be him… He was dead. And yet there he stood… Ghostly white and pale, he was just standing there and gazing back at her with those soulful eyes. And as Ume stared at the rearview mirror in shock, she saw him and turn away and head toward the direction of Matsumura.

Before she realized what she was doing, Ume was getting out of the car and hurrying after the young man. And as she went after him, her emotions got the better of her. Ume felt the pain again in her chest, deeper and stronger this time. Already she was on the verge of throwing up again but tried to hold it in. Ume decided to head back to the town of Matsumura. She had to go. She had to see him. Even though she didn't have the Mystic Mirror to defend herself against evil spirits, Ume still bravely ventured into the town by herself. This was her only chance. It was the only way to save herself from the disease.

The town of Matsumura looked the same as it always did. Empty, abandoned and barren… She wondered where Shou and Aimi were. Maybe she would run into them somewhere? Now that she was here, she wondered where to go. As if sensing her tribulation, he appeared to her again… Ume didn't know if he was real or not. She didn't care. She willingly followed him through the town, his haunting ghost guiding her to where she needed to go. She loved him so much, she'd follow him anywhere. Soon Ume found herself being lured to the mountain…

Luckily she didn't encounter any hostile ghosts lurking around along the way. Instead she focused on following the handsome young man that seemed to lure her up a dirt trail up ahead and then vanished altogether. Ume stopped walking when she saw before her a signpost with different directions on it. The Takayama Mines, Shrine of Oath, and the House of Severance… Ume stared at the signpost and although she didn't know why, the House of Severance stood out to her. And so Ume went in the left direction…

Ume carefully walked along the path which curved around the mountain, where looking down below, she could make out the little houses and buildings of Matsumura. She was so high up; she could even see the Tsuchiya Cemetery in the distance. Looking further up the mountain, Ume could see big-looking boulders and rocks. Hopefully she wouldn't have to worry about rockslides… After climbing up the mountain, Ume was already out of breath and took a moment to rest. Then she noticed a long flight of stone-stairs that seemed to lead up to a shrine that appeared to have been built into the mountain itself. It was the same house that could be seen from the Old Cemetery Hill. This had to be the House of Severance…

Now Ume began to slowly climb up the stairs. She gazed up at the shrine in awe. And as she drew closer, that's when the man first appeared to her from the entrance. As if he'd been waiting especially for her… "_You must cut all ties_…" he said wisely to her. Ume immediately recognized the ghost. It was the priest. The same man she'd seen in her dream.

The Shrine Keeper disappeared but his words still lingered in Ume's mind. Upon reaching the entrance, Ume took a deep breath and entered the house. Once inside, Ume found herself inside the foyer. But walking further in, she soon came upon a sunken hearth. It didn't look like it's been touched in ages. And it was here that the Shrine Keeper appeared to her again. "_Is this what you truly want?_" he asked her gently. His words resonated with Ume… Ume thought about the boy she was in love with. Every time she pictured his face, her heart would ache with pain. Thinking about her unresolved love made Ume want to throw up petals again. The Shrine Keeper had disappeared, but for the first time ever, Ume thought about what was best for her heart.

"Do I really want to forget him?" Ume wondered to herself. "Can I really stop loving him?" Ume had to find out. She needed to explore more of the house. Before moving on, Ume spied a note sitting on the side of the sunken hearth. Upon picking it up and unfolding it to read it better, Ume noticed the handwriting looked really old and was written entirely in Japanese.

* * *

**The Severing Ritual**

When one is unable to let go of their love and affections for another, they come to the House of Severance to rid themselves of these feelings forever. This has also become another method on curing oneself of the Hanahaki Disease. The local priest takes it upon himself to bless sacred shears and use them to cut away the flowers that bound to a person.

This ritual comes at a high price. Once the roots have been fully removed from a patient; that person's love will fade away forever. Afterwards, they then plant their flowers at the Shrine of Longing. However not everyone is keen to perform this ritual. Sometimes a patient's love is so strong that they can't bear to stop loving the object of their desire. It's a scary thought, but tragically, many people are willing to die than give up the love they harbor in their hearts. Because of this, patients are lured to the mystical "Shadow Meadow" to embrace their fate.

* * *

"_The Severing Ritual…?_" Ume contemplated the idea. "_Is this what I really want? Can I stop loving him_?"

Again Ume felt her stomach rumble painfully, and she couldn't contain it any longer. Ume coughed uncontrollably where violet-petals scattered everywhere on the ground. Once it was over, it left Ume feeling shaky and scared. She couldn't go on like this. Ume went on ahead where she came upon a long hallway with many doors to choose from. Opening the first door to her left, Ume entered what appeared to be the living-room where guests could relax at their leisure. A tea table was in the center of the room but was dirty and rotten from years of neglect. Ume saw a shelf filled with dusty tea-cups and an old-fashioned teapot.

On the other side of the room, Ume studied a tattered scroll hanging in the alcove along with a blue vase. Sitting around the alcove was another note. Ume picked it up and saw that it contained familiar handwriting.

* * *

**Genda's Note 6**

This was my first trip to the House of Severance. It looked more like a residence than an actual shrine. But the priest kindly told me that this was a place where those with a broken-heart go to be comforted. While enjoying a tour of the place, the priest even showed me a sacred object that helps him cure those of Hanahaki Disease. As a doctor, I was skeptical about how this was actually done. But the priest patiently explained that with this shear, he was able to cut the flowers at their source, thus freeing a patient.

While here, the priest ended up telling me an interesting story from long ago. The Spiritual Shears, he explained, originally belonged to the Kimura lord long ago. The shears was the only thing the lord had left to remember his daughter by. Sadly, his daughter was the first person to succumb to the Hanahaki Disease where it's said her body was buried at the mountain. It happened centuries ago that it made me wonder if such a thing really occurred. The priest did mention that at the Mist Mountain, prayers were offered at the Hollow of Comfort to mend the princess's heart.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the place locals have called the "Shadow Meadow." A place where those with a broken-heart are buried. Does such a place even exist?

* * *

So far Ume kept seeing the words "Shadow Meadow" cropping up in those cryptic notes. It reminded her of her dream… A field filled with red spider-lilies. A place where you'll never be seen ever again. Ume felt a chill coming on and hastily collected the notes and hurried on her way. Opening the door on the other end, Ume found herself back in the same hallway from before. Now she decided to try the door on the right side. Here Ume found herself entering what appeared to be a bedroom of some sorts. Maybe this was where the priest slept? The futon bed was filthy and hadn't been slept in for years. There was an altar where the priest practiced his Buddhism. There were the usual candlesticks, incense burners, bells and platforms for offerings such as fruit, tea or rice

While exploring around the shelves, something caught Ume's eye. Hanging on the wall by the string was what appeared to a Gold Key. Ume reached for it and held it up to her face for a closer look. It looked ordinary enough. Wondered what it unlocks. Ume decided to take it with her. She didn't find anything else of interest in this room and so she returned to the hallway. Nowhere else to go but straight ahead… Soon Ume came upon two staircases, one leading to a second-floor and one leading down. Ume was startled at the sudden appearance of the boy she was in love with.

He appeared so suddenly to her that Ume wondered if he was really a ghost. Was he even real? But he was real to her. Ume saw his ghost walking down the stairs…as if he too was guiding her. Without hesitation, Ume hurried after him. "Wait for me!" Ume called to him. "Please… I have to tell you. I have to tell you how I feel!"

She didn't care about the pain building in her heart, and she didn't care about the violets threatening to bloom inside her. She'd come a long way… Ume needed to see him. This time she would tell him how she felt… Ume hurried down the stairs and came upon a long dark corridor. She didn't know where this corridor would lead her, but somewhere along the way, her memories were all coming back to her. She had to remember him. Deeper and deeper into the cavernous tunnels, Ume remembered the day she lost him…

* * *

(**Flashback**)

_He was a little older than her… that's why Ume was always afraid that he would reject her. But she fell in love with her math tutor anyway and treasured every moment she'd spent in his company. He was smart, patient, amicable, and could always make her laugh with his sense of humor. How could she not grow to love him? Despite her uncertainties, she didn't want her love for him to remain a secret. So one day, Ume finally decided to tell him how she really felt…_

_Ume told him to meet her outside their favorite café where they shared coffee together. Ume was late arriving at her destination that day but upon arriving at the café, she noticed a crowd of people gathered around the street-corner. Even more upsetting was the badly wrecked car that had swerved onto the pavement. With dread in her heart, Ume pushed her way to the front of the crowd…._

_The man she fell in love with lay lifeless on the cold pavement… Ume stared and stared down at him and for a moment she seemed to have forgotten how to breathe. She was numb at first and before she realized it, bystanders had to catch her before she fainted to the ground. It wasn't until later that she learned that he died in a traffic accident. Ume went to his funeral to pay her final respects to him… Btu since then, Ume hadn't stopped loving him. And she was robbed of the chance to confess her feelings. Instead she continued to love a literal ghost…_

* * *

Before she knew it, Ume finally reached the end of the corridor and stood before two double-doors. Standing there before her was the man she never stopped loving. Even now, he still looked the same to her. After all this time, she still loved him. As Ume gazed fondly back at him, she felt tears in her eyes as she realized how much she missed him. He stared back at her with those gentle eyes. Powerful emotions overwhelmed Ume that she couldn't hold it in any longer. Ume threw up more violets from her mouth while her stomach continued to twist painfully inside her. She didn't care if she died now… This was her only chance… Ignoring the growing pain in her heart, Ume took a step forward, her eyes on the ghostly man before her. This was her last chance…

"Junichi…," Ume finally said his name. "I needed to tell you…on that day…" Ume winced when she felt more petals threatening to spill from her throat. "I…I never stopped loving you," she finally confessed. "I've always loved you but…" Again Ume was cut off by coughing out more violets. It was getting bad. She wondered if she would even live through this. But she would… Even if it killed her…"

"I…I wanted…to tell you…," Ume started. She gazed up at him. At Junichi who continued to watch her pitifully. But Ume wanted him to know. Maybe it would give him peace. And give herself peace too… "I love you…," Ume told him. "I've always loved you."

It was too much that Ume fell to her knees and coughed out more violets that seemed to pile around her. So many beautiful glowing violets… A symbol of her love… She knew her Hanahaki Disease had reached its peak. There was no way she could survive this. No way could she ever stop loving him. Ume closed her eyes and decided to willingly allow the flowers to bloom within her. But then something amazing happened… Warmth seemed to grow inside her. Stronger and stronger… A fire so strong that it seemed to burn inside her very heart… And as Ume felt this miraculous sensation fulfill her, she opened her eyes and raised her head in time to see Junichi standing before her.

Junichi had placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and his very touch seemed to stop the Hanahaki Disease in its very tracks. The pain in her heart subsided and all Ume could do was stare into his ghostly eyes. There was so much understanding in his eyes. Junichi smiled and Ume felt calmer. She wished he could stay here with her forever. But she knew it wasn't meant to be. He was no longer of this world… And as Junichi comforted her, he finally spoke kindly to her.

"_You need to let go… Always remember me but save your love for someone who really needs it_" His voice was just as she'd remembered. He hadn't changed at all…even in death. But then Ume watched in dismay as Junichi stood up and turned away from her.

"No, wait!" Ume called after him sadly. "You can't leave me again!" But she watched helplessly as he seemed to disappear into thin air. Leaving Ume to feel like she lost him all over again… But she still remembered his words to her. And she wondered if she could do it. Could she stop loving him? Would she ever meet another man like him again?

Now that her disease didn't slow her down, Ume was able to get back on her feet and looked ahead at the double-doors still in front of her. For some reason, she knew this was it. In the end, it was her choice to make. Let go of her love or clutch it to her heart forever. And as much as she loved Junichi so much, she knew what had to be done. Now steeling her resolve, Ume came forward and stepped through the doors. Inside was what seemed to be a cavernous chamber, built inside the mountain itself. In the center of the chamber was a stone-carved altar, big enough for a person to lie down on. Shimenawa ropes were wrapped entirely around the altar, labeling it as sacred. As she approached the altar, the Shrine Keeper appeared to her once again.

"_Is this what you truly want_?" he asked her again. In his hand, Ume saw the Spiritual Shears in his hand.

This time, Ume knew the answer. She was ready. "Yes," she told the ghostly priest. "This is what I want." Without any hesitation, Ume willingly laid herself on the altar. And as she did, the Shrine Keeper stood over her, prepared to cut away her flowers from the roots. The Spiritual Shears…

The Shrine Keeper bowed his head respectfully and Ume knew it was time to sever her bond. Feeling her heart pounding nervously, Ume could see them… Brightly beautiful violets, growing all over her body. All over arms, her legs, her waist… The Hanahaki Disease had grown strong but hadn't completely claimed her yet. Her hands were trembling but Ume closed her eyes and prepared herself. With the ghostly Shrine Keeper her only witness, Ume was going to do what had to be done. But she knew it would come at a high price. And yet Junichi's words still rang vividly in her mind…

"_You need to let go. Always remember me but save your love for someone who really needs it_." Taking a deep breath, Ume waited for it to be over as the Shrine Keeper held the Spiritual Shears over her heart.

* * *

**The deed has been done. It looks like Ume Fujiyama was able to save herself from the disease from claiming her. This only leaves Aimi Hanazawa. Stay tuned for updates to learn the fate of the other characters involved in the story! See ya soon!**


	6. Chapter 6: Takayama Mines

**Chapter 6: Takayama Mines**

Upon entering the Shrine of Oath, Aimi could feel her sixth sense taking over her. It happened sometimes… when a place held powerful memories or emotions. Aimi followed her instincts and allowed her sixth sense to guide her. Before she knew it, she'd wandered into what was known as the Covet Courtyard and felt drawn toward the gazebo that sat on an isle in the middle of the pond. There Aimi stood and gazed up at the luminous moon while sensing strong powerful emotions that were not her own. Her mother once explained to her that it was the power of Empathy. The ability to feel and sense the feelings and emotions of others… especially restless ghosts… Here in this dark and abandoned courtyard, Aimi sensed all kinds of emotions emanating from the grounds. Happiness, Sorrow, Heartache, Confusion, and Anger…

It often left Aimi feeling out of it and unable to be aware of her surroundings at certain times. But finally she managed to mentally clear her mind and keep the ghostly emotions at bay. But somehow being here in this lonely courtyard…she was unsettled by the one emotion that kept creeping up on her. "Pure Hate..." Holding the Camera Obscura in her hands, Aimi continued to explore on her own. The Shrine of Oath held interesting information about rituals called The Soul-Bonding Ritual and The Severing Ritual. Even though she was able to keep her Hanahaki Disease under control, she feared it wouldn't last forever.

"_Not as long as I continue to love him_," Aimi thought sadly to herself. Again, Aimi thought about her feelings for Shou. She wondered if he could ever love a girl like her. A girl unlike others… Every time she thought about him, her heart would pound and her lungs would ache. She had to find a way to save herself from the Hanahaki Disease.

Aimi decided to leave the Covet Courtyard behind and headed for the door that seemed to lead back out into the mountains. There Aimi began to follow a mountain trail while putting the Shrine of Oath behind her. She was so high up that she wondered where exactly she was. As Aimi used the flashlight to look around the wooded area with its tall trees and plants and shrubberies, a sudden sound startled her. Aimi stopped walking when she heard what sounded like someone mumbling to themselves. The mumbling sounded more like chanting of some sort, and it grew louder and louder until it seemed to echo around her.

And as Aimi looked wildly around her while trying to locate the source of the scary sounds, that's when a pale-white man suddenly appeared from behind a tree and seemed to wander aimlessly. Aimi stood perfectly still so as not to alert the ghost to her presence… The ghost appeared to be dressed entirely in white, giving him a very ghostly glow, and he was carrying a walking staff in his left hand. He seemed to have been a monk once… But the thing that made Aimi uneasy was realizing the Mountain Monk was covered with bright red roses that covered his whole body like boils. Another victim to the Hanahaki Disease…

With her eyes on the Mountain Monk, Aimi thought she could somehow slip away undetected. Until her pink mary-jane slipper stepped on a twig with a loud "crack." Aimi's heart thudded fearfully when this caught the ghost's attention at once. The Mountain Monk immediately turned in her direction and she saw his deathly eyes glare viciously at her. To her horror, the Mountain Monk started for her and Aimi knew she had no choice but to fight back now. Aimi held up the Camera Obscura and looked through the viewfinder to capture the ghost in the lens…

The Mountain Monk's chanting became much more frenzied and malicious as he advanced upon Aimi. Aimi steadied the camera and pressed the shutter button to capture the ghost's in the photos. Upon approaching her, Aimi saw the Mountain Monk raise his staff at her. Aimi let out a startled cry and barely dodged the sharp thorny rose being shot at her like a dart. She had to be careful… Being careful not to slip over the steep hill she was on, Aimi raised the Camera Obscura again and pointed it at the hostile ghost before letting off another powerful flash. Then she captured another photo while keeping her distance from the Mountain Monk.

Keeping her eyes on the ghost, she watched as the Mountain Monk again raised his hand to her and summoned another red rose that soared through the air like an angry bee and Aimi had to lower the Camera Obscura to avoid the red-rose that seemed to pursue her. Taking aim, the rose shot at her like a dart but Aimi was able to dodge it this time. Aimi screamed when she realized too late that this distraction was all the Mountain Monk needed to reach her. As Aimi fought to throw off the ghost gripping her by the wrists, being this up-close, Aimi got a good look at the monk's face and was disturbed by what she saw.

The Mountain Monk's ghostly eyes were bleeding from the thorns growing around his face. Sharp thorns that cut deep into his deathly-white skin, making every movement painful for the ghostly monk… Aimi could only imagine how painful his death must have been to have sharp thorns growing from within. She let out a pained grunt as these sharp thorns also scratched her as she struggled to break free from the ghost. Using all her strength, Aimi was able to extract herself from the Mountain Monk's grip but it left a lot of scratches on her. Without a moment's hesitation, Aimi raised the Camera Obscura and delivered its final fatal shot…

The Mountain Monk let out an agonized wail while backing away from her immediately and finally vanishing altogether. When it was safe again, Aimi lowered the Camera Obscura and felt so weakened from her ghostly encounter. That drained a lot of her energy that she was already reaching into her bag to pull out Herbal Medicine. Aimi took the time to heal herself before going on any further. Before moving on, Aimi spotted the glowing red rose sitting abandoned on the ground. Out of the curiosity, Aimi went over to pick it up. Here she was able to look into the heart of the Mountain Monk.

* * *

(**Flashback**)

_It was the middle of spring, and the Covet Courtyard was overflowing with flowers of every variety. From his favorite hill, he was usually able to see the courtyard in the shrine from here. But today, he couldn't keep his eyes off of the woman who he could see standing by the sparkling grey-blue pond. He's loved her from afar for a long while now. Although he never had the courage to approach her and let his feelings be known to her. Only today would he pay the price for his silence._

_With a heavy heart, he had to watch the woman he loved declare her love for another. It hurt him a lot more than he thought it would. But suddenly living a life without love depressed him. Was it true that for some, love was not in the cards? It certainly made him question life. And it only made him lonelier. Even now when she was in love with another man, he continued to think of her. His love for her was all that he had left. He didn't want to give it up. Even if it did cost him his very life…_

* * *

Aimi watched as the red rose crumbled into petals before disappearing altogether. It was a sad thing to see. And it only reminded her of her own feelings. Would she suffer the same fate too? She thought about Shou and wondered if she could give up loving him. She couldn't think about that right now so she turned and continued trek up the mountain. A few minutes later, Aimi seemed to reach the top and found in front of her what appeared to be train tracks.

Stepping onto the tracks, Aimi looked both ways but she didn't see any oncoming trains. And then she remembered the mountain contained caves that were once harvested for their gold, Iron and zinc. Matsumura used to be a coal-mining town long ago. With the flashlight to guide her way, Aimi decided to follow the tracks along the mountain. Surely they had to lead her somewhere… She didn't have long to find out. Soon Aimi saw that the train tracks led inside the entrance into the mountain itself. She's reached the Takayama Mines… Despite the sign with "Danger" written on it, there was nothing stopping Aimi from approaching the entrance and trying to gaze inside. It was pitch black inside the mine and Aimi couldn't see very far into it.

Aimi hesitated and wondered if it would be wise to go in. Who knows what kind of unspeakable horrors could be lurking around in the mines? But she didn't see where else to go so Aimi prepared to brave the dark abandoned mines. Ignoring the fear creeping into her heart, Aimi stepped into the Takayama Mines… It was so pitch black inside the mine, her flashlight wasn't bright enough to light up the entire cave. At least she could continue to follow the train tracks deeper into the mine. Aimi let out a startled cry when she bumped into something in front of her. But then she was relieved to see that it was only an abandoned mine-cart. She walked around the cart and went further on.

Shining the flashlight up ahead, one tunnel went to the right while the other continued straight ahead. Aimi decided to explore the tunnel on the right. Hopefully she didn't get lost. However this led to a dead-end. Moving her flashlight around, all she saw was some abandoned rusty tools and a pile of rocks that blocked the entryway, preventing Aimi from going any further. Aimi felt uneasy. She heard too many stories of cave-ins and the Takayama Mines certainly has a way on making anyone claustrophobic. Then Aimi spotted some very old newspapers sitting among the tools and one of them caught her eye.

* * *

**Takayama Mines Closes for Good**

It has been announced today that the Takayama Mines were no longer profitable. The mines have officially been closed down due to the mountain running out of any valuable minerals. The Takayama Mines was first discovered in the 1600s and has led to the foundation of the town. For years, miners have worked to harvest coal, gold, iron, and zinc, which led to the town of Matsumura being built to house the families of the miners. For centuries, the mountain mines ensured prosperity for the town. The town of Matsumura saw a lot of success throughout the years that it reached a population over 3,000. But sadly in recent years, due to the mines becoming unstably dangerous and less minerals to dig up, it was decided today to close the mines for good.

* * *

These newspapers were pretty old and this one was dated 60 years ago. Finding nothing else of interest, Aimi had to go back down the tunnel. Aimi followed the tunnel straight ahead and realized that the darkness seemed to get thicker. Despite the musty air, it was cool inside the mines. Finally Aimi reached the end of the tunnel and entered a large cavern with more curving tunnels and a deep abyss in the center. Aimi carefully stepped over the ledge and tried to gaze down into the pit but it was too dark. No way to see to the bottom… Luckily there were some lanterns hanging on the rocky walls and were lit. Wooden platforms had been built to provide safe passage around the mountain. The old wood creaked underneath Aimi's feet as she followed the spiral staircase upwards.

Soon Aimi reached the top floor where she saw a large tunnel loom in front of her. Aimi started to make her way down the tunnel where lanterns helped light the path. Aimi took a couple of steps in when a sudden terrifying sound stopped her. What sounded like unnatural howling seemed to echo around the tunnels and caverns. It sent shivers down Aimi's back as she gazed all around her, trying to locate the source of the animal-like howling. That's when she realized it seemed to be coming from in front of her. Her sixth sense was on high alert… Appearing from out of the shadows, that's when Aimi saw it…

Was it a ghost? A shadow? Aimi couldn't tell. Even in the beam of her flashlight, the ghost was black… A ghostly being coated in pitch blackness that it blended perfectly in the darkness that surrounded it. The Black Ghost appeared to be shaped like a person so maybe it was human once? All Aimi could focus on was those two pinprick eyes staring lifelessly back at her… Whatever it was, it was hostile and moving toward her with its bone-chilling howl. It was blocking her in the tunnel so she had to fight it off.

Aimi brought the Camera Obscura up to her eye and aimed it at the approaching Black Ghost. It wasn't easy because it was so dark in the tunnel and the Black Ghost could easily blend into the background. She was able to snap a few photos but then the Black Ghost would vanish out of sight. Aimi had to use her flashlight to quickly locate the elusive ghost. Hearing its ungodly wailing continued to give her chills. And then Aimi quickly got an idea. Using a special lens on the camera, Aimi used the FLASH to draw the ghost out. It worked. The bright flash stunned the Black Ghost, exposing its presence. Aimi was able to get in powerful fatal shots as she snapped one photo after another…

With one final shot, Aimi finished off the Black Ghost. Letting out its ghastly howl, the Black Ghost vanished for good and all was silent in the mines once again. Aimi lowered the camera as soon as it was safe again. Hopefully she didn't encounter any more scary black ghosts around here… Now Aimi proceeded down the lit tunnel while keeping a close eye out for any other dangers. Eventually Aimi came upon a wooden door. Unfortunately the door was locked; Aimi could see the padlock that kept it closed. What was beyond the gate?

And then Aimi seemed to get her answer. She could sense a ghostly aura emanating around the padlock. Perhaps a clue on where the key was? Aimi raised the Camera Obscura and took a photo of the padlock. Once the photo popped out, Aimi waited a moment for the picture to become clear. In the photo, she saw something very strange. It appeared to be somewhere in a cavernous chamber. But what really interested Aimi was a deep dark hole that was roped off with shimenawa. It was surrounded by candles and appeared to be a sacred place. Where exactly was this?

With the photo as her main clue, Aimi turned around and headed back to the Cave Center. Now she began to make her downward along the spiral staircase. Every now and then, Aimi tried flashing her flashlight down the chasm but she still couldn't see what was down there. She must be inside the mountain itself… Aimi passed the second floor of the mines. She'd already been here, so it was time to explore further down. She kept heading further and further down until she reached the 1st floor where she spotted another tunnel. This tunnel was especially rocky that Aimi had to crouch in order to get across and then squeeze between the narrow rocky tunnels. Finally the tunnel widened and Aimi followed the rail-tracks where she spotted another abandoned rusty mine-cart flipped onto its side.

Soon Aimi saw another tunnel curve to her right, but this time she decided to keep heading straight. She could feel the wind blowing from this direction which meant that this tunnel led back outside. Aimi reached the end of the tunnel and stepped outside where she could see the inky-black sky, dotted with stars along with dark clouds. She couldn't see the moon from here. Looking around, Aimi saw that she'd come to a dead-end. The railroad tracks had crumbled away, preventing her from exploring the mines on the other side. However while enjoying the view from up here, Aimi looked down and happened to notice some dirty newspaper caught between some rocks. Using her flashlight for a better look, Aimi discovered another note with familiar handwriting on it.

* * *

**Genda's Note 7**

I was able to learn more about the Hollow of Comfort. As I've suspected before, it's connected with the urban legend of the Shadow Meadow. Shadow Meadow is said to be a place where the unloved are buried in order to contain their Hanahaki Disease. The Hollow is directly above the shadowy meadow and it's believed that prayers and love tokens are offered to those who died of a broken heart. A practice that's been done for years.

Only those with special permission can visit the Hollow of Comfort. The priest often visits the site where offerings are made to comfort those who perished of Hanahaki Disease. However it is strictly forbidden to venture out onto Shadow Meadow due to its close connection with the spirit world. It is said that those who willingly choose to die from the disease go to Shadow Meadow to become one with the garden.

This is tied to the old urban legend of the Kimura princess who long ago perished from the disease and whose body was buried in the mountain. It was believed she was the first person to contract the disease and they say her soul still resides in the meadow far below.

The Hollow of Comfort is like a window to the meadow where one can see the countless red spider lilies that grow rampant in the field. There are a lot of superstitions surrounding the Red Spider Lily but one of the well-known ones is that the Red Spider Lily guides the dead to their next reincarnation. Could this be another reason why sufferers of the disease willingly choose death?

* * *

Aimi was intrigued by everything she learned so far. A legend of a princess buried in the mountain somewhere? Did that have anything to do with the origins of the Hanahaki Disease? Finding nothing else, Aimi took one last look out at the dark towering mountain before heading back inside the mine. As Aimi's ankle-flat slippers stepped over the bumpy rocks, she let out an unexpected scream when sudden loud tremor broke out. Immediately Aimi backed up into the stone-wall and froze as she could feel the ground beneath her tremble and shake. And just like that…it stopped. Aimi couldn't move and her heart was thudding so hard in her chest that it hurt. She waited a couple more minutes but there were no more quaking. Did that really happen?

"_I hope I don't get caught in a cave-in_," Aimi thought nervously to herself. The idea of getting trapped in these dark empty tunnels was scary enough.

Once she was sure it was safe to move, Aimi hurried her pace down the tunnel while trying to calm her still-beating heart. Aimi decided to head down the other unexplored tunnel she passed by earlier. Going down this tunnel, Aimi noticed that the tunnel seemed to curve downward. A couple lit lanterns hanging along the walls told her that this tunnel was used frequently. Soon the tunnel curved around a corner and Aimi continued to follow it. It occurred to her that she seemed to be heading further and further down the mountain. And just when she was starting to wonder how long this tunnel was, it led her to an oddly familiar place.

This appeared to be a dead-end and yet Aimi was met with an interesting sight. Before her was exactly what she saw in the photo earlier. A hollow roped off with shimenawa rope and surrounded with lit candles. There were a couple of cute wooden Japanese dolls, either for decoration or as tokens? Lovely ancient-looking vases stood together in a pile and Aimi saw that some of them were filled with water. Upon stepping further into the room, Aimi noticed the Torii gate that had been built around the entrance. Instead Aimi's eyes were on the hollow before her and when she got closer, that's when she sensed it. Using her Camera Obscura to locate it, Aimi looked down the hollow and saw a creepy ghost with multiple faces and mouths merged together gazing morosely up at her with its sunken eyes… They were probably The Heartbroken…

Taking its picture with the camera, The Heartbroken disappeared into thin air and Aimi couldn't sense its presence no more. And that's when she spotted the chain link key sitting abandoned near the Japanese dolls. Having found the key, Aimi could finally return to the locked door. Before leaving the cavern, Aimi was still curious about the Hollow of Comfort and went so far as to lean over the shimenawa rope and peered down the hole. Shining her flashlight down the hollow, Aimi tried to see if she could see the bottom. She did see something down there…

Aimi couldn't make out much but what she was able to see was what seemed to be a field of red… It was like looking down at a red ocean. What was down there? Aimi leaned over for a better look and that's when she drew back at once. Maybe it was because of her sixth sense, but Aimi could sense powerful emotions emanating from down below. Emotions like loneliness, grief, and sorrow. So many restless spirits and they seemed to be coming from down there. Aimi kept her distance from the Hollow of Comfort and realized she was afraid to get any closer to it. Best to leave this place…

Aimi headed back down the tunnel and wanted to put as much distance between herself and the Hollow of Comfort. Going back down the tunnel, Aimi hoped there would be no more tremors in the mines. It really left her paranoid. Aimi was just coming out of the tunnel and about to head up the spiral staircase when that ungodly howling started back up again. Aimi spun around and saw the Black Ghost had appeared from behind her. With its shadowy shape and white pinprick eyes, the Black Ghost was moving toward her with its inhumane howling. This time Aimi turned and fled back up the Spiral Staircase. She didn't know if it was the same Black Ghost or a different one. She didn't want to be overrun by them…

With her heart racing and gripping the Camera Obscura tightly with one hand, Aimi kept racing up the spiral staircase. She looked back to see if the Black Ghost was pursuing her. The Black Ghost was still at the bottom but it was hard to tell if it was pursuing her. Finally Aimi reached the top floor where she stopped to catch her breath with her hands resting on her knees. After catching her breath, Aimi hurried down the tunnel. Hopefully the Black Ghost wasn't still chasing her. Aimi reached the locked door and used the chain-link key to undo the padlock. Once the door was unlocked, she opened the door and ventured into unexplored territory.

Walking down this cavernous path, Aimi noticed this tunnel appeared man-made. There were no railroad tracks and the rocky ground was smooth, perfect for walking. Perhaps this tunnel connected somewhere else? Following the twists and turns of this tunnel, and when Aimi came to end of it, she came upon a cavernous chamber. This chamber also seemed man-made and there was even an altar in the center. And lying on that altar was…

"Ume!" Aimi saw her best friend lying on top of the altar. Aimi hurried over to her at once and as she did, she couldn't help but noticing the brightly glowing violets littered around her best friend. "Ume! Wake up! Are you alright?" Aimi was scared at first. Was her friend hurt? She reached out and tried to shake Ume awake.

To her relief, Ume stirred and turned her head to look up at her. "Aimi?" she said, recognizing her friend. "Aimi…You're okay?" Ume sat up from the altar and felt groggy and a little light-headed. She sat there and waited for the dizziness to subside. Aimi stood by, patiently waiting for Ume to feel better.

"What are you doing here?" Aimi asked her. "How did you find this place?"

"I was worried," Ume admitted. She pushed back her ponytail and looked up at Aimi. "I came here to make sure you were okay. I brought Shou with me. He's here too."

"Shou is here?" Aimi smiled for the first time that night. Shou was here… He'd come looking for her too. Just thinking about Shou caused Aimi's heart to skip a beat. She'd been thinking about him a lot lately…

Without warning, Aimi felt her emotions get the better of her. It became too much that Aimi felt sick to her stomach. Ume gasped as Aimi grabbed her stomach region and puked up pure-white petals that littered the ground at her feet. Aimi's feelings for Shou had grown stronger and the Hanahaki Disease had gotten worse… Once it was over, Aimi was trembling all over and had to wipe the petals away from her mouth. Ume got off the altar and put her arm around Aimi to calm her down. That's when Ume knew… Her friend was suffering from the disease too…

"I'm running out of time," Aimi said in a shaky voice. "I…I have to cure this disease. There has to be a way to stop it." Aimi kept massaging her stomach and she could feel the supernatural curse growing within her. Even with the pain in her heart, Aimi still couldn't stop thinking about her feelings for Shou.

Ume was silent for a moment. She stepped back and Aimi watched as her best friend started to gather the violets from the altar. As Aimi watched curiously, Ume turned back to her. "There is a way," Ume told her. "The Severing Ritual… To cut ties with the unrequited love that consumes you."

And that's when Ume held up what appeared to be shears. The very same shears the Shrine Keeper had used to remove the flowers from her. Ume had been cured of her disease… Now she handed the Spiritual Shears over to Aimi who hesitated before accepting it. Upon closer inspection, the shears had some holy words written in Japanese on it and it looked to be very old. Aimi looked at the shears and for some reason, felt uncomfortable with it. Catching the look of uncertainly on Aimi's face, Ume tried to explain.

"You can use it to cut the flowers at their roots from your heart. It's one of the ways to cure yourself of the disease. The other is to confess your feelings for the one you love at the Shrine of Oath." Ume studied her friend's expression and she wondered what Aimi would choose. She suspected for some time that her best friend had a crush on her big brother. But it still made her wonder. Would Aimi cast away her love and feelings too?

Aimi definitely could sense a calming effect from the Spiritual Shears. But it left her feeling torn. "_I'm not ready_," Aimi admitted to herself. "_I can't stop loving him. Not yet_…" Aimi couldn't make that tough decision right now so instead she put the Spiritual Shears away in her hand-bag. Then she turned back to Ume who was watching her in concern. "I'm real glad you're safe now, Ume," Aimi smiled warmly. "Let's get out of here together. We can try looking for Shou next."

Ume smiled and nodded her head. However she made sure she collected all of her violets. There was one task left that she had to do. Now the two girls turned and started heading for the double-doors to exit the Severing Chamber but stopped when they both felt it at the same time. The temperature seemed to drop and the air became ice-cold. And already Aimi could sense a truly maleficent presence approaching. Suddenly the double-doors seemed to swing open on their own, causing Aimi and Ume to jump back at once. Then they stared in horror when they both saw the ghost at the same time…

The ghostly woman covered head to toe with brightly red spider lilies had stepped into the chamber. It was so unexpected that Aimi and Ume froze up at the sight of the dead woman. And when the Unloved Woman entered the chamber, suddenly Aimi couldn't stop herself and started coughing up more flower petals with no control. Her Hanahaki Disease seemed to get worse and Aimi had a feeling it was because of that woman in the bright orange-kimono… Ume immediately recognized the ghost and realized it was the same one she and Shou had encountered at the Tsuchiya Cemetery.

"_Unloved forever… Never been loved…_," the red-spider lily woman spat bitterly. Even from a distance, Aimi could sense nothing but anger and hatred from this ghost. "_I will never be loved… Never be loved_," the woman continued to curse foully.

Aimi grabbed Ume's hand and pulled her in the other direction. "Run! Hurry! This way!" Aimi shouted. Together Aimi and Ume ran down the tunnel that led back to the Takayama Mines. Looking over her shoulder, Aimi saw to her horror that the Unloved Woman was pursuing them and was moving with frightening speed. Aimi and Ume ran for their lives as the Unloved Woman went after them.

Running breathlessly down the dark tunnel, their hearts racing and adrenaline pumping, Aimi turned her head to look back to see the Unloved Woman getting closer and closer. Aimi was running so hard that she forgotten to watch where she was going. The next thing she knew, Aimi came bursting out of the tunnel and came dangerously close to the edge of the pit. Ume tried grabbing for her and instead ended up grabbing the Camera Obscura instead. It was already too late. Aimi lost her balance and her screams echoed loudly throughout the mountainous mines as she fell down the dark abyss below.

"Aimi! No! Aimi! Aimi!" Ume screamed her friend's name over and over while staring down the pitch-black abyss. Poor Ume didn't have time to worry about her best friend. She looked up to see the Unloved Woman floating out of the tunnel and heading straight for her. Having no other choice, Ume had to flee with the Camera Obscura in hand. Ume ran blindly through the Takayama mines and never once looked back. She needed to get help. Aimi was trapped somewhere down below the mountain…

* * *

**I'm really proud of the spooky ghosts I've managed to come up with. Some ghosts are benevolent and some are hostile. The ghosts that have died from Hanahaki Disease are the ones I've dubbed "The Unrequited." They're scary ghost-types that have unique attacking abilities, based on what kind of flower they're represented with. If this were to be turned into a video game, I like to imagine the ghosts would be pretty tough and enough to keep players on their toes. What do you think? Just wanted to share that interesting trivia about the story. As always, read and review please!**


	7. Chapter 7: The Whispering Tunnels

**Chapter 7: The Whispering Tunnels**

After having missed Aimi Hanazawa at the Shrine of Oath, Shou decided to retreat for now. He wanted to go back and check on his little sister, Ume. He didn't like her being all alone in the car. Armed with the Mystic Mirror, Shou left the Covet Courtyard. Now he was leaving behind the Shrine of Oath. Retracing the path he took earlier to get here, Shou carefully followed the dirt trail back down the mountain. Using his flashlight to see where he was going, Shou was just reaching the signpost when a sudden sound stopped him. He could hear it… Running footsteps and they were heading right for him. Was it a ghost? Shou spun around in time when a shadow came running toward him from the direction of the House of Severance.

"Ume!" Shou breathed a sigh of relief as his little sister threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Shou returned the hug and could feel his poor sister trembling all over. She was out of breath like she'd been running for miles. "Ume, what are you doing here?" Shou asked her gently. "I thought you were back at the car."

Finally Ume calmed down a bit but she still looked to be in shock. "I…I was…," she stammered. "But I… I had to go back. There was something I needed to do." As she said it, Ume withdrew from her brother and then held up the brightly glowing violets that she'd gather into a bouquet. Her flowers… In her other hand, she was clutching an old-fashioned-looking camera.

Shou eyed the beautiful violets and the camera. He didn't understand. "What happened? Are you okay?" And then Shou added reassuringly. "It'll be alright. I know how to cure you. We need to get to the House of Severance and…"

"I've been there…," Ume quietly admitted. And when she looked up at her concerned brother, for the first time, she smiled. "I…I think I'm going to be alright. You don't have to worry, Shou." She truly meant it. Her heart felt so much lighter now. All her memories of her love have been wiped clean. Her violets were all that remained of that love… The love she couldn't have in return.

Gazing into Ume's eyes, Shou noticed that she seemed so at peace with herself. Whatever problems Ume had been having, she'd managed to resolve them on her own. Shou was relieved that his sister didn't have the disease anymore. It was one less thing to worry about. Or so he thought… Shou's smile faded when he saw Ume looking over her shoulder with a scared and worried expression.

"Shou, we have to help Aimi!" Ume urged. "She fell down the chasm inside the mountain! She's lost somewhere down there!"

"Calm down, Ume! Take a deep breath," Shou said soothingly reaching out to take his sister by the shoulders to placate her. "Tell me what happened. Where is Aimi?"

With tears in her eyes, Ume told her brother about reuniting with Aimi at the House of Severance. When they tried to leave together, that's when the evil Unloved Woman ghost showed up and chased them. While trying to escape, Aimi accidentally fell down into the chasm and Ume had been unable to stop and look for her. She'd managed to elude the vengeful ghost but Aimi had been left behind at the mountain.

"I…I couldn't help her…, Ume said guiltily. "She's still there, Shou. Aimi is somewhere inside the mountain. She might even be hurt." Then Ume held up the Camera Obscura and showed it to Shou. "I was only able to grab this camera that Aimi had been using. I think she was using it to fight the ghosts."

Shou studied the camera and happened to notice the words "Camera Obscura" written on the top in Japanese. Interesting… Did this camera also have the ability to exorcise ghosts like the mirror did? Now that he'd been brought up to speed about everything's that happened, Shou already knew what to do. After waiting for Ume to calm down and dry her eyes, Shou placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'll go look for Aimi," Shou offered. "I won't rest until I find her. In the meantime, let's switch items." There Shou gave Ume the Mystic Mirror, and Ume handed over the Camera Obscura over to Shou. "Stay safe. Head back to the car and wait for us. I'll bring Aimi back safe and sound."

Ume nodded while holding the Mystic Mirror tightly in her hand for assurance. But she still held her bouquet of violets in the other hand and realized there was one thing she wanted to do before leaving Matsumura for good. "I have to head back to the Tsuchiya Cemetery," she insisted. "There's something I must do."

"Ume…," Shou started to argue but then stopped himself. He didn't understand what was going through his sister's mind but he could see that this was an important task to her. Whatever it was, Ume felt that she needed to do it. Best not to interfere. "Ok," Shou finally relented. "But be careful. Promise me you'll head back to the car once you're done."

"I promise," Ume said. Just when the two siblings were about to part ways. "Hey Shou… Ume suddenly called back. Shou turned and looked back at her. Ume hesitated. "_He doesn't know how Aimi feels," _Ume thought. She knew Aimi suffered from the flower curse too. She didn't want a terrible fate to befall her best friend…

Soon Shou was walking along the woodland trail, heading in the direction of the Takayama Mines. He was now carrying the Camera Obscura with him. Hopefully he could get the hang of using the camera. According to Ume, the House of Severance seemed connected with the Takayama mines. If he was going to find Aimi, he'd best go to the main entrance down the bottom of the mountain. He was more determined than ever to find the girl he's adored since childhood… With the flashlight to guide the way, Shou continued to follow the path along the river.

Reaching the end of the river, Shou could see the river ended at a waterfall. Listening to the powerful sound of rushing water, Shou carefully stepped over the edge to see if he could see what was below. It was too dark to see clearly. Now Shou stepped back from the edge and continued to follow the path that led upwards to the mountain. He walked a good fifteen minutes until he finally found the main entrance to the Takayama Mines. A rectangular mineshaft was built into the mountain where it was overgrown with moss. It looked like it hadn't been used in years. But this was the best way to go…

Just when Shou was heading for the entrance, without warning, he saw a ghostly woman appear out of nowhere. Her presence took Shou by surprise that he stopped and stared. What disturbed him was that the woman appeared to be covered in bloodstains… Other than the bloody stains, it seemed that she too died of the disease because she was covered head to toe with brightly red flowers that grew on her like tumors. And as Shou watched her warily, he saw the ghostly woman enter the mine-shaft while muttering foully to herself that Shou was able to overhear.

"_I'll make him love me…I'll make him_…" The words sounded so chilling and almost psychotic that it sent shivers down Shou's spine. Definitely a hostile ghost… Once the ghost disappeared into the mine-shaft, Shou knew he'd really have to watch his step now. Preparing himself for the horrors lurking inside the Takayama Mines, Shou entered the pitch-black mine. Shou immediately felt of whiff of cold stiff air blow into his face. Walking along the rocky passage, Shou could see bits of trash strewn around the ground here. Perhaps this part of the mines was more commonly explored by other thrill-seekers.

Deeper and deeper into the mine until eventually Shou reached the center of the mountain. Looking around the area, Shou saw more tunnels that led in different directions. And looking further on, Shou went over and approached what appeared to be an abandoned cart filled with discarded tools like old shovels, rusty pickaxes, hammers, chisels and pans. Most of the tools were old Japanese tools that would be considered historic relics by today. Just when Shou was wondering which of the tunnels he should explore first, that's when he the heard hair-raising laughter coming from the tunnel to the far right. A woman's evil laughter that echoed ominously in that direction… Shou peered down that tunnel and debated with himself. Should he investigate or was he better off staying away?

Shou gripped the Camera Obscura tightly with hands and decided to bravely venture down the tunnel anyway. If any evil spirits tried attacking him, he had the camera to defend himself with. Going down this tunnel was pretty difficult. Shou even had to walk through murky puddles along the railroad. The air smelled dusty and old around here. Shou kept a vigilant lookout all the same. After following the railroad tracks further into the tunnel, Shou eventually came upon a cave-in that kept him from going any further. And yet…There was something here. Shou could feel in his fingertips the Camera Obscura reacting towards something. Upon closer examination, Shou noticed the ghostly aura was coming from the piles of rocks itself.

"_I need to take a picture_," Shou silently realized to himself. Now he raised the camera up to his eye, adjusted the lens, and aimed down at the rocks. After a bright flash, Shou then waited for the photo to pop out of the bottom slot and held it up to the light to see what would be revealed. What he saw unsettled him. Bloodstains could be seen spattered all over the rocks as if somebody had been bleeding profusely. What could possibly have happened here? And among the bloodstained rocks, that's when Shou saw what appeared to be a bloodstained note. As if somebody wrote on it while bleeding… Shou carefully picked it up and tried to read what was written.

* * *

**Bloodstained Note**

I want him! He's mine! He's mine! I'll kill her!

I hate her! He's mine! I want him! I deserve him!

I'll make him love me! I'll make him!

* * *

Whoever wrote this was clearly disturbed. Shou jumped with fright when he heard the wicked laughter again and this time it came from back down the tunnel. Was there a ghost stalking him? That's when Shou noticed it for the first time. A trail of bloodstains leading down the railway tunnel… Shou had no choice but to follow the bloodstains… Finding his way back to the central center, Shou saw the bloodstained trail continuing down the third tunnel on the left side. And then Shou saw her… The same bloodstained woman with brightly lit flowers leering back at him from the tunnel. Shou froze like a statue and stared back at her until she vanished from sight. The ghost was stalking him…

Taking a moment to wait for his heartbeat to slow down, Shou started to make his way down the tunnel where the Bloodstained Ghost lurked. It was crazy but Shou had no other choice. If he wanted to locate Aimi, he had to search all these dark caves and tunnels. This tunnel was harder to navigate. Shou had to duck his head because the ceiling was low. There were no railroad tracks here so maybe this tunnel was dug long ago by miners. Along the way, Shou would see the bloodstains on the ground. But then Shou stopped and shined his flashlight on the wall where he saw something written in blood there.

* * *

**Yasue Takagi + ****** ********

**4ever**

* * *

Most of the words were illegible but Shou was able to make out the name. Yasue Takagi? Was this the Bloodstained Ghost's name? What happened to her? Following the trail of the bloodstains even further into the tunnel, Shou ended up at another dead-end. Moonlight poured down from the ceiling above from the hole that was probably dug by an animal. But it was here that Shou could see the bloodstains splattered around the stone-walls. Then Shou noticed a pile of trash on the ground here but when he took a closer look, he saw a couple of photographs in the pile. Curious, Shou bent down to pick up a photograph to see what was depicted on it. It was the picture of a young-looking man, although Shou couldn't tell for sure because the man's eyes in the picture have been scratched out. As if somebody had done this out of great anger…

Picking up another photo, Shou saw that this one had a picture of the same young man with his arm around a woman. Somebody had furiously scribbled black ink over the woman… All the photos contained the same young man in them. Somebody had been very obsessed with this man… Shou had been so distracted with the photos that sudden sinister chuckling from behind caused him to spin around in alert. Standing not too far away and peering out at him from around the corner was the Bloodstained Ghost again. She was chuckling nastily and watching Shou a couple seconds before disappearing. This left Shou feeling more paranoid than ever.

Now Shou headed back down the tunnel but he still continued to keep an eye out for the Bloodstained Ghost. With two tunnels with dead-ends so far, Shou picked the next unexplored tunnel. This time the tunnel took Shou deeper into the mountain. The tunnel's path seemed to lead ever downward that Shou felt like he was traveling way underground. Just how deep did the mountain go? Eventually he came upon another obstacle that blocked his progress. Shou came to the end of the tunnel where a deep black hole blocked him. The hole was too wide to jump over so Shou decided not to risk it. But how was he going to get across safely?

Then Shou sensed a ghostly aura emanating from the other side of the tunnel. That's when he knew… The Camera Obscura could help him. Shou raised the camera to his eye and took a picture of the black hole in the middle of the tunnel. A second later, the photo revealed a hidden clue. By the looks of it, this looked like another dead-end cavern somewhere. It looked harmless enough. But Shou couldn't help noticing the blood splatters around the cavern walls. Rather he liked it or not, Shou had to investigate. So he turned around and went back up the tunnel.

Returning to the center of the cave, there was only one tunnel Shou hadn't explored. Armed with the flashlight and camera, Shou carefully began to make his way down the tunnel to see what lied on the other side. Going down this tunnel, Shou saw a lot of discarded tools on the side of the railway track and even a railroad switch. Shou tried turning the switch but it was too rusty and didn't budge at all. Hanging from the wall was a lantern that lit up most of the tunnel so Shou didn't need the flashlight much. He started to move forward ahead but saw that the entranceway had been boarded up with wooden planks. Shou decided to head down the dark tunnel to his right.

Walking along the dark tunnel, Shou followed the twists and turns of the tunnel. As he went deeper, that's when he began to notice the bloodstains starting to appear along the rocky walls. Then he knew… The Bloodstained Ghost could be nearby. Despite his growing fear, Shou kept pressing on. Soon Shou reached the end of the tunnel and entered the familiar cavern that was filled with rocks, more discarded tools and sturdy-looking wooden planks propped against the wall. Shou eyed those wooden planks and immediately found a solution. He could use one of those wooden planks to build a bridge over the gap. Shou started to head for the wooden planks but something stopped him. A deep sinister voice spoke to him from the darkness.

"_You're mine…_"

Suddenly all around him, Shou saw the bloodstains shining brightly from the cavernous walls. Written in blood all over the walls were the words "I love you," over and over like some crazed chant. And as Shou heard that unsettling insane laughter rang out, that's when he turned and finally saw her. The Bloodstained Ghost appeared and she was blocking the only exit out of the cavern. Shou now knew he had no choice but to fight the ghost. The grisly woman was bleeding all over and the brightly red flowers dotted all over her. Shou realized that it was the flowers that were causing her to bleed so much…

Shou raised the camera once again and tried to remember the instructions that Ume gave him on how to use the Camera Obscura. Through the viewfinder, Shou was able to capture the ghost's image and he pressed the shutter-button. He could feel spiritual power from the camera, just like with the mirror. Shou took three more shots with the camera. But the Bloodstained Ghost proved to be more deadly than appearances would suggest…

With a crazed chuckle, the red flowers suddenly bloomed and poisonous smoke began to billow out. Shou realized to his horror what the black smoke was… The ghost was covered with oleander flowers! And oleander was poisonous! Shou backed away at once and instinctively covered his nose and mouth with the palm of his hand. Black clouds of smoke still wafted around the cavern but Shou was careful to keep his distance from it and not breathe it in. He had to beat this ghost and fast. The Bloodstained Ghost's constant crazed laughter still unnerved him but Shou kept the Camera Obscura trained on her at all times and clicked the shutter-button to take powerful more shots at her.

Suddenly Shou coughed and had to lower the camera as he got caught in the poisonous smoke floating in the air. He could even feel it draining at his health… With a twisted smile, the Bloodstained Ghost moved closer and closer towards him. Shou ducked out of the way just as she tried lunging for him. The smell of oleander was threatening to overwhelm him. But Shou tried to hold his breath while using the camera to get in more fatal shots at the attacking ghost. The smell of oleander was starting to make him feel dizzy. The Bloodstained Ghost advanced upon him again while breathing out poisonous smoke that grew within her. She seemed almost unstoppable…

One powerful fatal frame finally did her in… And Shou literally breathed a sigh of relief as the Bloodstained Ghost let out a furious temper tantrum while screaming violently and disappearing away. As soon as it was quiet in the tunnels again, Shou waited for his heartbeat to return to normal. He also took in deep breaths of fresh air when the smell of oleander vanished. That was really nerve-wrecking… Shou took some Herbal Medicine to get his strength back. Once he was feeling brave again, Shou started over to pick up the strongest and sturdiest wooden plank that he could carry back with him. But before he did, that's when he saw the red oleander flower lying abandoned on the ground. It belonged to the ghost… Shou stared at it and wondered if he'd dared… Curiosity got the better of him, and Shou reached down to touch its red petals and he saw the turbulent emotions of the bloodstained ghost named Yasue Takagi.

* * *

(**Flashback**)

_She loved spying on him. She spied on him every day. And every time she watched him go about his day, she'd fantasized that she belonged to him. And he belonged to her. She hated the idea of sharing him. Didn't he understand that she needed to be near him? He never accepted any of her letters, never seemed to notice her at all. But he would learn to love her. Their love could be pure if he gave it a chance. She had to watch him, to protect him. She could win his love. She'd proven her devotion to him. He would choose her above all else._

_Then one day, he met someone else and immediately began dating her. How sickening it was to see him with "her"! I am with him every day! I have proven myself worthy! She's an imposter! Yasue loved him too much to give him up. She had to prove her love. It was the only way to get him to notice her. That dark cloudy night, she finally went to his house. I'll tell him how I feel… Yasue had already brought with her the butcher knife. Now the real love of his life would come for him. _

_And that's me! I'm the one who really loves him! I've loved him longer than her! I've earned the right to love him! Not her! She's a fake! Not his real love! It's me! It's me! I love him! I'll always love him! Our love will endure! My love is better! He will choose me! You'll see!_

* * *

Shou had to back away at once because the oleander flower was giving off a dangerous poisonous scent. And Shou could sense the crazy obsessive love pouring out of the flower. No doubt that Yasue's idea of love was harmful and poisonous… Shou went over, picked the strongest and sturdiest wooden plank and carried it back through the railway tunnels.

It wasn't easy but somehow Shou managed to drag the wooden plank back through the railway tunnels and back down the other tunnel that led ever downward. But at last, Shou took the wooden plank and placed it over the hole, building a bridge over the gap. Carefully arranging it in place, Shou tested the wooden plank first by stepping on it with one shoe before deciding it was safe to cross. There Shou successfully got to the other side and was able to head down further into the mountain. Along the way, Shou couldn't help noticing that it was getting darker. And the air was growing thicker…

Just as Shou was wondering how far this tunnel went, he stopped when he saw the Torii gate at the end of the tunnel. Then he knew… Shou was about to enter a sacred area. A place not recommended for the living unless they willingly seek death. Shou hesitated but he knew he couldn't go back now. Aimi could be somewhere beyond this gate and he had to find her. Now Shou stepped through the gate and seemed to enter a very dark cave. It was so dark that not even the flashlight was bright enough to penetrate the darkness. That's when Shou knew he'd entered the Mountain Abyss. The darkness was so deep that Shou feared that he wouldn't be able to see…until he spotted the brightly shining red spider lilies growing among the ground. The only light he had around here…

It baffled Shou that red spider lilies could grow inside a mountain. But then he remembered the folktales about this place. It is said that red spider lilies grow near the land of the dead. This could only mean one thing. Shou was near the otherworld… Besides the deep darkness, Shou couldn't help noticing how stifling the air was down here. It was almost hard to breathe. Shou took a couple of more steps into the mountainous abyss and wondered if it was such a wise idea to be wandering around these parts.

Using the light of the red spider lilies to guide him, Shou continued to move forward and found another path that led him even deeper below ground. The air grew thicker and colder… So cold that Shou felt like he was stepping into a freezer… The red spider lilies popped up here and there along the trail and Shou had another thought. It is also said that when someone is never to be seen ever again, a red spider lily blooms in that very spot. Shou shivered and tried to keep these superstitious thoughts out of his head.

At last, Shou reached the end of the path and entered a large pitch-black chamber. Upon looking way up, Shou could make out light from above. But way down here, it was deep dark abyss. Shou took a couple of steps forward and gasped at what he'd discovered. In front of him was a little field of glowing red spider lilies growing plentiful. Lying sprawled among the ruby-red petals was Aimi Hanazawa…

"Aimi!" Shou called. He hurried to her side at once. She must have fallen from above and miraculously landed on the red spider lilies that cushioned her fall. "Aimi! Wake up!"

Shou knelt down and gently rolled Aimi onto her side. He prayed she wasn't seriously injured. But to his immense relief, Aimi moved and managed to open her eyes. She peered up at him and her heart burst with pure happiness at the sight of him. "Shou…," she whispered.

As Shou sat with her among the red spider lilies, he kindly waited for Aimi to get her strength back before exiting this place. He used his flashlight to try to see if he could see around the pitch-dark cave. Then he noticed that another path straight ahead seemed to lead even deeper into underground. He wondered what was down there… But he turned his focus back onto his dear friend. Now Shou stood up and being a gentleman held out his hand to help Aimi get back on her feet. The feel of Aimi's nimble fingers sent tingles up his arm that for the first time, Shou felt comforted by her presence. Aimi didn't appear injured although she did look shaken up.

"Are you okay?" Shou asked her. "Ume was worried. She told me where to find you." Suddenly Aimi suddenly grabbed her stomach and threw up brightly glowing gardenia flowers. Shou looked on in horror as Aimi coughed up a couple more petals before she finally stopped. "Aimi! Are you…?" Shou reached out for her.

Aimi wiped the petals from her mouth before answering Shou. "I'm…I'm fine," she said in a shaky voice. Without meeting Shou's eyes, Aimi could already feel herself blushing. "I only get this way whenever I think of…"him," she said mysteriously. Once her stomach stopped hurting, Aimi looked up at Shou and tried to put on a brave face. "Let's leave this place. I can't stay here for long."

Shou nodded understandingly but he felt hurt by her words to him. "_Is she in love with someone else?_" Shou couldn't help but wonder to himself. "_Does Aimi love someone who doesn't love her back? Is that why she has Hanahaki Disease too?_" Shou led the way back up the tunnel and Aimi followed close behind him. Looking over his shoulder, Shou could see the poor girl appeared to be very stressed about something. Perhaps being inside the mountainous abyss was taking a bad toll on her. What especially bothered him was the way Aimi kept stroking her chest as if she were feeling some kind of pain.

They walked on in silence but then Aimi finally spoke. "I can feel so many emotions in this place," she said while Shou listened keenly. "So many broken hearts… Unrequited love. Somewhere deep in this mountain is a meadow. A meadow full of red spider lilies…" Shou carefully crossed the wooden plank and Aimi followed. But Shou continued to listen to Aimi talk and he noticed that she seemed to go into a sort of trance. "So much sadness, loneliness, and bitter anger…"

"You're going to be okay," Shou said soothingly. He held out his hand and Aimi willingly took it. "We can cure you of your disease. We just need to perform the Severing Ritual."

Aimi said nothing as Shou guided her through the tunnel. She remembered Ume handing her the Spiritual Shears earlier. The very thing that could save her from the disease. But Aimi didn't want to be cured. She couldn't stop loving him… But could he love her back? Aimi stopped walking, causing Shou to turn around and look back at her. Aimi was torn between her heart and her fear. This was it… It was her only chance. Her one chance to put an end to her Hanahaki Disease.

"Shou…," Aimi started. She looked into his eyes and opened her mouth…

But then Shou was looking over Aimi's shoulder and his eyes widened in horror. When Aimi spun around, she too saw the ghostly woman floating up the tunnel. It was the Unloved Woman. With red-spider lilies covering her face like bruises, she was glaring hatefully at Shou and Aimi. The air grew cold as ice as the Unloved Woman moved toward them. Aimi stared at the vengeful Unloved Woman and felt frozen on the spot. But Shou immediately reacted and stepped in front of Aimi to protect her. Shou raised the Camera Obscura and prepared to do battle with the evil ghost.

Shou took a picture with the camera but realized to his horror that the camera didn't appear to have any effect on the ghost. The Unloved Woman was unstoppable… "Run Aimi! Run!" Shou's shout echoed throughout the dark tunnels. It was already too late. The Unloved Woman already reached for Aimi…

"_You will never be loved. Never! Be forever unloved!_" The Unloved Woman spat viciously.

Aimi leaped back just as the Unloved Woman tried reaching for her neck. Aimi didn't mean to but somehow she ended up accidentally pulling out a red spider lily off the woman's body. The second she touched the red spider lily with her finger-tips, Aimi sensed the evil ghost woman's feelings, her memories, and her life. Powerful emotions of love, betrayal, anger... Aimi's Empath enabled her to peek into the heart of this ghost and catch a glimpse into what emotions cursed her in the afterlife.

* * *

(**Flashback**)

_During the hottest summer season, the same lovely woman in the orange-kimono was being led down a corridor by her ladies-in-waiting. She was the only child of the lord of Kimura Castle. She was a beautiful young woman who lived in the Matsumura town during the Edo period. Today was an important day as she was to meet her groom-to-be for the very first time. She was extremely nervous but excited too. Reaching the end of the corridor, the door was opened for her and she was led out to the courtyard that looked an awful lot like the Covet Courtyard._

_It was here where she first saw the samurai she was to be married to…and it was love at first sight. Their marriage would strengthen the allegiance between their noble and extinguished families. But she knew in her heart that she would now and forever love him as his faithful and dutiful wife. To be with him forever was what she truly wanted. She stepped up before him and smiled warmly up into his handsome face. She never had any doubts… She knew she could turn her political marriage into the perfect love match. _

_Her father, Lord Kimura, was there to formally introduce them to each other. He gestured to his lovely daughter and spoke her name with pride. "Hanari…" The woman named Hanari bowed her head respectfully to her groom-to-be. And as she gazed up at him with misty eyes, she failed to notice that her groom-to-be gazed back at her with indifference reflected in his dark eyes…_

* * *

Shou was really panicking now as he managed to catch Aimi before she fell to the ground. He didn't understand what was happening but upon touching the Unloved Woman's red spider lily, Aimi's eyes seemed to disappear at the back of her head and it looked like she was having a seizure. Shou didn't know what was happening but he knew he had to get her as far away from that evil ghost as possible. Shou lifted Aimi safely into his arms and was already running for both their lives through the dark eerie tunnels. It wasn't easy carrying Aimi and the Camera Obscura, but somehow Shou managed it.

"Hang on. We're almost out of here," Shou said reassuringly to the unconscious Aimi. "We'll get through this together. Stay strong for me, Aimi. Stay strong."


	8. Chapter 8: The Broken Bond

**Chapter 8: The Broken Bond**

Escaping from the mountain, Ume was able to meet up with her brother, Shou, in the woods. After telling him what happened, Shou decided to enter the mountain himself to search for Aimi. Now Ume began to make her way back to the forsaken town of Matsumura. Now that she's performed the Severing Ritual, she still had one task to do. Carrying the lovely bouquet of violets and the Mystic Mirror, Ume had to put her past behind her. Therefore she must go to the Tsuchiya Cemetery to cast away her unwanted love. Only then would her heart properly heal again…

She didn't want to be alone right now, especially after encountering that terrifying woman back at the mines. But Ume knew she had to do this so she gathered all of her courage and prepared to enter the cemetery for a second time. Entering through the grated gate, Ume tried to remember where the Shrine of Longing was located. The cemetery looked like it always did… Creepy and dark… Ume shined her flashlight over the tombstones and hoped no ghosts were lurking behind them. With a little luck, she could get this over and done with. Walking along the cobblestoned path, Ume also couldn't help seeing the red spider lilies grew rampant among some of the graves. Red Spider Lilies were also known as the flower of the dead…

Ume couldn't explain it but being back in the cemetery was giving her an unsettling feeling. The air seemed colder here, making the hairs at the back of her neck stand up. She also couldn't help noticing the red spider lilies seemed to glow redder than ever. Were these all signs of paranormal activity? Ume walked along the path while her eyes darted around in all directions and she could feel her heart pounding nervously. Something was different about the cemetery but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She couldn't let her imagination get the better of her.

Just to be safe, Ume gripped the handle of the Mystic Mirror tightly for reassurance. Somehow she was able to find the Shrine of Longing again. Standing before the shrine, Ume knew what to do. Like others before her, Ume placed her violets onto the shrine as a sign of respect. And to finally rid herself of the feelings she was harboring for someone. Someone she would never love again. Ume stood admiring the Shrine of Longing and for the first time ever, she smiled. Her heart was so much freer now. Perhaps later in life, she could fall in love again… With someone who could love her in return.

Now it was time to leave. Ume was eager to leave the cemetery as fast as possible. She didn't want to hang around here for long. She was already getting a bad vibe from this place. Turning away from the forlorn shrine, Ume began heading back down the cobblestoned path. As she quickened her pace, she couldn't help looking at some of the red spider-lilies that grew among the tombstones and Buddha statues. It was still spooky to see these beautiful flowers giving off an otherworldly glow. Then Ume stumbled over an uprooted stone and nearly almost tripped. The Mystic Mirror fell out of her hand but luckily it landed on the soft grass. But when Ume picked it up, she happened to catch a glimpse of something in the mirror's reflection…

She wasn't seeing things. It was really there. Ume felt her heart pounding faster and faster with fear as Ume held up the mirror and realized there was a ghostly being standing among the red-spider lilies. They were dark silhouettes of people, men and women. They stood morosely by like frozen statues. Even though Ume couldn't make out their eyes, she could see they were all wearing the same melancholy expression. Ume was afraid to move, afraid to disturb these ghosts. Who were they and why did they seem connected to the red spider-lilies? Ume managed to feel calmer but she was still scared. There were so many of them here…

Somehow the Mystic Mirror exposed their presence to her. And then Ume knew who these ghosts were… Unwanted Souls… Unfortunate forgotten souls who have been abandoned… They've never known love or peace in this world. Legend has it that Red Spider Lilies guided the dead into their next reincarnation. Now that she had a better understanding of what she was seeing, Ume relaxed somewhat. Trying her best to not make eye-contact with the spirits, Ume concentrated on safely making her way out of the cemetery. Just to be safe, Ume held the Mystic Mirror close in case of the ghosts tried attacking her.

The Unwanted Souls wandered aimlessly among the tombstones and trees but Ume was able to slip by them unnoticed. Finally Ume reached the cemetery gate. To her dismay, the gate wouldn't open anymore. Something was keeping the gateway tightly sealed. In other words, she was stuck in here. Ume started to panic a little but then remembered the Mystic Mirror. Maybe she could find a clue on how to get the gate open again? Holding the mirror up at the gate, Ume gazed into its glassy surface and did see something. The reflection was different in the Mystic Mirror…

Reflected in the Mystic Mirror was what appeared to be a grave? Its exact location was hard to pin down but Ume did notice that brightly glowing white chrysanthemums grew among the dirt. Another thing that bothered Ume was that the grave looked fresh as if someone just died and been buried there recently… Was it possible that the Tsuchiya Cemetery was still in use? Ume decided to investigate so she had no choice but to leave the gate and search the cemetery for this grave. Ume knew it wouldn't be in the oldest part of the cemetery so she started by looking for newer tombstones or graves.

So many people were buried in this graveyard that Ume wondered if she would be able to find this spot. The only clue she got from the Mystic Mirror was that this grave would have chrysanthemums growing among it. Ume began her search by holding up the mirror and using it to reflect the tombstones, graves and statues. The Unwanted Souls continued to stand diligently by the red spider-lilies and Ume was relieved to see that none of these silent ghosts acknowledged her presence. But she still wondered who they were or why they were here.

It wasn't easy. There were millions of tombstones; some were hard to get to. But Ume didn't give up and continued to search for that one tombstone that had been reflected in the Mystic Mirror. After doing some back-tracking, Ume kept walking up and down the aisle of tombstones, markers and monument statues. Eventually something caught her attention… Now Ume carefully approached one tombstone along a row of moss-covered tombstones. This looked like it could be a family grave. And Ume found the one that had chrysanthemums growing all over it. At first nothing was out of the ordinary until Ume held up the mirror and gazed into it. Ume let out a startled gasp when she realized that a ghost was sitting somberly on top of the tombstone.

Ume instinctively took a couple of steps back when the ghost made its presence known to her. By the looks of it, it looked like a young girl. Disturbingly enough, she appeared to be around Ume's age which meant that she died when she was young… Ume could see yellow chrysanthemums growing out from her head, around her neck and her arms. This girl had also been a victim of the Hanahaki Disease…Ume could hear the ghost girl's quiet sobs as she sat gloomily on her grave where her long unkempt hair hid her face. Ume eyed the ghost girl warily and even took a bold step closer. To her surprise, the ghost girl seemed to shrink away from her as if shy. Ume slowly got over her fear and began to feel genuine sympathy for this lost soul. Was she the one sealing the gateway? Why? As Ume stood around, uncertain of what to do, the ghost girl was mumbling sorrowfully to herself and Ume was able to catch most of what she was saying.

"_Kazuki… Where…? Can't find…you…Kazuki… Please? Kazuki…You were the one. You were the one…,"_ The Shy Girl continued to mumble quietly to herself while completely ignoring Ume.

Ume knew this had to be a clue. This Shy Girl couldn't move on unless she found someone name Kazuki. Was that somebody else buried here in the cemetery? Ume stepped forward, close enough to read the name on the tombstone. She could make out the name "Kiku Adachi." Then Ume reached out and plucked a mum from the tombstone. She expected to get a flashback to see into the ghost's heart but it didn't happen. Then she remembered… Ume was cured of the disease; she lost the ability to look into the hearts of others. No other choice but to search the cemetery for the one called "Kazuki."

Now Ume started walking away and left behind the Shy Girl who continued to sit on her grave unmoving. Ume used the flashlight to read the names on the tombstones and began searching for the name Kazuki. Perhaps some of the graves were arranged alphabetically? Walking along the cobblestoned path, Ume stopped when she spotted rows upon rows of tombstones up on a hill. Nothing of interest up there… Ume continued her exploration and came upon a row of Jizo statues wearing cute little knit-caps. A few of them even had offerings such as little toys, trinkets, flowers and a pile of pebbles. Just when Ume was at a lost on what to do next, that's when the ghost seemed to appear out of nowhere…

Ume stopped in her tracks and watched as a young man with his back to her was slowly crossing a bridge to the other side of the cemetery. The ghostly man was cloaked in darkness, giving him a more "shadowy appearance. Come to think of it, Ume had not explored the northeast part of the cemetery. And that was where the ghostly man was heading... Could he be the one she was looking for? There was only one way to know for sure. Ume headed for the bridge and decided to follow the ghost. Crossing the wide wooden bridge, Ume happened to stop and looked over the side. She could feel a nice breeze blowing through the dark trees from here. And she could even see the running river down below.

Once on the other side, Ume saw that this area contained a lot of graves of ancient Japanese noble families. Stone lanterns lit up the paved paths while Ume could make out important cenotaphs, tombstones honoring Japanese soldiers from World War II. Along the hills, Ume spotted more Jizo statues sitting on top of tombstones along with colorful pinwheels which blew with the soft breeze. Up ahead of her, Ume could make out the very same shadowy ghost silently walking down the path. He was heading deeper into the wooded cemetery. Along the way, Ume stopped when she spotted some stone stairs that led up the hill and to a shrine. She decided to take a detour and explore what was up there.

The shrine was not only for offering one's prayers and respect for the dead, but Ume saw that it was also a little house where somebody used to live. Ume easily stepped into the residence and saw it was a real derelict. Nobody had lived here in a long time. The wooden walls were bare; bits of furniture that were left behind were filthy and rotten. There was nothing of interest in the living-room but when Ume entered the little bedroom. Ume went over and started going through the dresser bureau to look for anything useful. Ume found a little glass bottle of Sacred Water that she was happy to collect. She also happened to find pages of paper with something written on them. By the looks of it, it was from a diary. Due to the dirt-stains, it was hard to make out most of the reading but Ume was able to read some of the pages.

* * *

**4/14**

Sometimes I hear them at night. The wandering souls who cannot rest in peace… I was the only one brave enough to take on the job of groundskeeper here, but even I have to admit that this place spooks me. I firmly believe the dead needs to be respected, but the dead doesn't always respect the living. So many lost souls roam among these burial hills and I do all I can to keep them out.

**4/16**

Today I saw another visitor down by the Shrine of Longing. That shrine has been there for as long as I can remember. I know all about the superstitions that surround the town of Matsumura. A disease that plagues those with one-sided love… The story of the Unloved Maiden… Legends of a shadowy meadow that grows near the Otherworld… Stories I've known since I was a kid. To this day, visitors continue to cast away their unwanted love down by the shrine.

**4/18**

Something woke me up in the middle of the night. When I went to go investigate, I happen to notice a strange shadowy man lurking outside my window. He disappeared so suddenly that I wondered if I imagined him. But it left me feeling uneasy.

**4/19**

I saw the man again the next night. I was on my way to my cottage when I spotted him walking among the tombstones. I've never seen him before but I could tell it was the same man from last night. I called out to him but the man ignored me. The man appeared to be searching for something. I thought he was perhaps looking for somebody's grave? When I tried to follow him, the man vanished once again. I couldn't find him.

**4/20**

I spotted him again. This time I was able to follow the strange man. He appeared to be heading toward the Mound of the Nameless, said to be the most sacred place in the cemetery where those with no name or family are buried. While I spied from afar, the shadowy man still appeared to be searching for something. Then I heard him mutter a name and suddenly he vanished from my very sight. The man was a ghost all along!

**4/21**

I haven't left my cottage since last night. Sometimes I'm still afraid to look out my own window in fear of seeing that shadowy man again. I still wonder who it is he's searching for. I've asked around but nobody could give me any information about the shadowy man I've described. I'm also too afraid to head back to the Mound of the Nameless where the shadowy man was last seen lurking. No matter who he was in life, the ghost continues to search for someone in the cemetery.

* * *

The diary ended there and Ume didn't find any more pages to read. However the diary did provide her with a crucial clue. The Mound of the Nameless… Perhaps that was where the ghost was heading? With this new lead, Ume exited the cottage and started going in the direction where the Shadowy Man was heading. Following a wooded trail through the trees, Ume could hear the hoots of an owl somewhere above the trees but it was too dark to see. Eventually she reached her destination and Ume came upon another courtyard that contained ancient tombstones and old graves. But what fascinated Ume the most was the very large pyramid-shaped rock filled top to bottom with Jizo statues of various shapes and sizes. Some statues wore brightly colorful bibs.

Ume stepped up to the large pyramid-shaped rock and studied it by shining her flashlight up at it. No doubt this must have been a popular place for tourists to explore. She began circling the Mound of the Nameless while trying to see if she could see the top. But Ume stopped and gasped when she spotted the very same Shadowy Man she'd follow here. The Shadowy Man hadn't noticed her. He stood perfectly still with his back still facing her. And as she stood there watching the Shadowy Man, that's when Ume had a sudden thought… "_Is it possible? Could this man never have had a proper burial? Is that why he wanders on his own? Unable to reunite with the girl he loves?_"

Ume didn't move and she couldn't keep her eyes off the Shadowy Man standing not too far from her. She pondered on what to do. Despite how unwise it was, Ume carefully approached the ghostly man and called out to him. "Excuse me…sir?" she whispered gently. The Shadowy Man didn't turn around. Gripping the Mystic Mirror tightly in one hand, Ume tried again. "Pardon me…sir?"

The Shadowy Man still wouldn't respond to her. Ignoring her uneasiness, Ume remembered the man's name. "Kazuki…," Ume called out the ghost's name.

This got the spirit's attention. Hearing his name, the Shadowy Man slowly turned around in the direction of Ume. As Ume watched the man turned to face her, she saw the man's face for the first time and she placed a hand over her mouth in horror. Brightly purple lavenders grew out of the Shadowy Man's eyes, obscuring his vision. Ume stood frozen in fear as the blinded Shadowy Man floated forward and then reached out a hand to her. Like reflex, Ume lifted the Mystic Mirror and caught the ghost's reflection. The Mystic Mirror grew hot in her hands until a blinding flash caught the ghost off-guard.

The Shadowy Man was blown back by the force of the mirror's powerful flash and seemed temporarily stunned before the ghost became hostile and began to pursue Ume more aggressively. Ume had no choice but to fight back as the Shadowy Man moved in to attack. Holding the mirror in front of her, Ume carefully aligned the hand-held mirror until she felt it grow warm and let out an exorcising flash that sapped away at the hostile ghost's health. But unfortunately the Shadowy Man had some fight in em'…

The Shadowy Man disappeared and Ume armed with the Mystic Mirror looked around to locate him. Ume turned in time to see the Shadowy Man coming at her from behind. As Ume positioned the Mystic Mirror again, Ume couldn't stop staring into the Shadowy Man's face whose eyes were covered with lavenders. Suddenly the Shadowy Man stopped and stared ominously back at Ume… and then without warning, the ghost's lavender flowers shot out like darts and pelted Ume in the face.

With a startled scream, Ume reached up both hands to furiously wipe away the strongly-scented lavenders from her face which left her momentarily vulnerable. She wasn't fast enough and she cried out when she felt the Shadowy Man's icy-cold grip on her. Managing to wipe all the lavenders from her face, Ume fought with determination to push the ghostly man off her. During the struggle, Ume avoided looking the dead man in the face but while she managed to shove the Shadowy Man away from her, that's when she heard him open his mouth and he spoke to her…

"_Kiku_…?" the Shadowy Man whispered mournfully.

It was right at that very moment that Ume finally understood. She knew what she had to do now. Pointing the Mystic Mirror at the restless spirit, Ume waited for the mirror to gather full spiritual energy before delivering a final powerful flash that rendered the hostile ghost before her subdued. The Shadowy Man stumbled back while letting out an anguished wail before falling to its knees. "_Kiku…Kiku…_," the Shadowy Man continued to sadly confusedly to itself. As soon as she was sure it was safe, Ume stepped forward and held out her hand to the ghostly man. Sitting in the palm of her hand was the glowing mum she'd gotten from the Shy Girl's grave from earlier.

Ume patiently waited while trying to calm her wildly beating heart. As she'd hoped, the Shadowy Man sensed the presence of the flower. The young man slowly lifted his head and despite no longer having eyes, he seemed to stare uncertainly at Ume's out-stretched hand. And then the Shadowy Man reached out his hand and Ume gently dropped the mum into his palm. Now Ume stepped back and watched as the Shadowy Man stared down at the mum in his hand. Kiku's flower… Ume watched the Shadowy Man and that's when she saw a different expression on his face… The man named Kazuki became emotional when clutching the yellow mum in his hand. And when he looked up, he stared not at Ume but on another girl who appeared to him…

Ume turned around and immediately recognized the Shy Girl named Kiku. She watched as Kiku walked over to Kazuki and reached up a hand to lovingly touch his face. Upon her touch, Ume watched in amazement as the lavenders seemed to melt from Kazuki's eyes until the two brown eyes filled with love were gazing back at the girl standing before him. The moment he saw her, he fell in love all over again… And as Kazuki put his arms around her, the mums wilted and fell off Kiku. Kiku's smile grew bigger as she finally reunited with one she loved all along. Their love was equal which therefore cured each other of the Hanahaki Disease.

Ume witnessed their love and then she knew. She'd broken the seal on the cemetery gateway. She would be able to leave now. Kazuki and Kiku embraced and vanished together… They would able to rest in peace now. And Ume would always be inspired by their everlasting love for one another. Taking one final look at the Mound of the Nameless, Ume turned and decided to be on her way. There was no more reason to stay here in the cemetery. But later as Ume was crossing the wooden bridge and following the stone-path by the tombstones, she unexpectedly ended up running into a familiar ghost. Ume stopped and stared when a woman wearing a lovely-orange kimono was silently walking along the graves and tombstones. It was the Unloved Woman…

"_I wanted his love… I wanted his love…_," the Unloved Woman was saying bitterly. Ume didn't move in fear the ghost would spot her. But she did notice something different about the Unloved Woman. She wasn't covered in ghastly red-spider lilies. Perhaps this was how she looked when she was once alive? Luckily the Unloved Woman didn't notice Ume and instead she vanished up a hill. But now Ume was curious. Where was she going? Holding the Mystic Mirror in front of her for comfort, Ume decided to follow the ghostly woman. Once she reached the path where the Unloved Woman disappeared to, Ume realized the ghost had gone up to Old Cemetery Hill. Why was the Unloved Woman heading up there?

Ume took the stone-steps one at a time and kept a close eye out for the woman. Upon reaching the top, Ume remembered exploring this old cemetery with Shou earlier. According to him, this belonged to the Kimura Family, the most influential family known in Matsumura. And it was here where Ume found the Unloved Woman. From a safe distance, Ume spied the Unloved Woman crouching over somebody's grave and sobbing in heartache. Even though she was afraid to get too close, Ume couldn't help but feel pity for the restless spirit. What was keeping the Unloved Woman from finding peace?

"_I will never be loved… Never be loved_…," the Unloved Woman wept in despair before vanishing altogether. Ume waited a few minutes, listening to the nightly noises and making sure the ghost was really gone. Once the coast was clear, Ume decided it was safe to venture into the cemetery now. The first thing she did was approach the tombstone where the Unloved Woman was crying over. One glance at the tombstone and Ume saw a name barely illegible from old age. "Yoichi…" The tombstone was quite ancient but by the looks of it, he must have been a young lord from long ago. And yet it still begged the question… Why was the woman in the orange-kimono crying over this grave? Was this man somebody from the Unloved Woman's past?

Ume didn't find any other clues, but this recent turn of events did make her wonder about the vengeful ghost that's been stalking her, Shou and Aimi. Who was she? Why was the Unloved Woman so angry and bitter? It must have happened long, long ago. From there, Ume turned and left the Old Cemetery Hill. And just like she promised her big brother, Ume decided to head back to the safety of the car to wait for Shou and Aimi to come back from their adventures.

* * *

**Sadly this will be the end of Ume Fujiyama's adventure. The rest of it is up to Aimi and Shou. So consider this a conclusion for a character. Thanks for reading so far. More updates will come later. See ya soon! **


	9. Chapter 9: The Unloved Maiden

**Welp, we'll really be getting into the lore of this chapter. As I've mentioned before, I like the Fatal Frame games because of the interesting plots and the Japanese folklore that inspires them. I'll admit, some of the locations I have my characters exploring are also inspired by real places in Japan. It's all part of my research to ensure that all my readers can enjoy the story on many levels. With that said, here's the newest chapters as promised!**

* * *

**Chapter 9: The Unloved Maiden**

_In her dreams, Aimi still saw her… The Unloved Woman… Long ago, she'd gotten engaged to a samurai whom she fell in love with at first sight. They were married and…and then what happened? What had turned a loving woman into the evil hateful creature she was today? Aimi had to know… Despite her Hanahaki Disease, Aimi's ability to empathize with spirits would enable her to understand the pain of the Unloved Woman. Maybe healing the pained heart of this vengeful spirit would somehow heal her hurting heart too._

Aimi opened her eyes when she heard her name being called. It took a moment for her to realize she was lying down on the soft cool grass with Shou knelt beside her. Shou breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Aimi waking up. It hadn't been easy but Shou managed to escape from those dark tunnels and from that evil woman. Now Shou stepped back as Aimi climbed back onto her feet and brushed off grass-stains from her black-pants. Her head was still spinning but she felt perfectly fine now.

"Are you okay?" Shou finally asked her. "What happened back there?"

After throwing back her auburn hair, Aimi turned to Shou who watched her every move. Aimi's heart always skipped a beat at the sight of him. She was real happy to see him. "I'm fine," she said reassuringly. Then she remembered encountering the Unloved Woman back at the mountain and the vision she saw when she touched that red spider lily.

"That woman…," Shou said uneasily. "Who is she? Why does she torment those with Hanahaki Disease?"

"It's because she suffers from the disease too," Aimi said quietly. She shook her head sadly before looking up at Shou who was listening raptly. "Her name was Hanari Kimura… Long ago, she was married off to a samurai from a prestigious family. She was in love with him, but…" Aimi remembered vividly the emotions that Hanari had been feeling. Such powerful, torturous feelings…

"How do you know that?" Shou asked curiously. Aimi always amazed him. It was almost like she had the uncanny ability to peek into people's hearts and know what was in there. Aimi was unique and it was what drew Shou to her.

Aimi avoided Shou's eyes but he could tell that she was blushing. "I uh… I just…know these things," she said awkwardly. At that moment, Aimi got the urge to throw up more gardenias that was growing inside her. Flowers that would only continue to grow as strong as her love… She had to put a stop to her own flowery curse… She couldn't bring herself to perform the Severing Ritual. And she didn't think Shou could love a girl like her… Maybe there was another way she could rid herself of the supernatural disease.

"We have to help her," Aimi suddenly blurted out. She turned to Shou with look of determination. "Hanari Kimura can't rest in peace… Her unresolved love is what keeps her here in Matsumura. We need to learn more about her."

"But Aimi…," Shou started to argue with her but stopped. He didn't like the idea at all. He wanted to leave this place right here and now. It would be so easy to walk away from all this. But deep down, Shou knew it wasn't quite as simple as that. Aimi still had the disease… Besides, he didn't like the idea of leaving Aimi to do this on her own. One way or another, he would stick by her. If this was what she wanted to do, he'd brave it out a bit longer.

With a sigh, Shou gave in. "Alright. I'll help you." Just as Aimi smiled appreciatively at him, Shou then pulled out all the notes he'd received during his own journey in the abandoned town. "We'll go to the residence of Akihiko Genda. He was a local doctor here in town. He may have the information we're searching for."

"Ok. Let's do it," Aimi agreed. Then she noticed that Shou was still carrying the Camera Obscura in his hands. When Shou saw Aimi eying the camera, he held it out to her.

"Here… Perhaps you should take this for now," Shou offered the Camera Obscura to Aimi who accepted it. "Don't worry about me. I can hold my own," he said with a good-hearted chuckle.

Aimi smiled warmly. "I'll do my best to protect you." Now with the Camera Obscura in her possession, together Aimi and Shou decided to head back to the deserted neighborhood of Matsumura.

The two of them walked back to the desolated town of Matsumura. Shou led the way as he recalled where the Genda residence was located. Finally they came upon the abandoned house where Shou went up to the front entrance and tried the door. To his chagrin, Shou had forgotten that the house was locked. Shou turned back to Aimi with an apologetic shrug of his shoulders. But at that exact moment, Aimi could sense it… The door was giving off a ghostly aura. Shou moved aside as Aimi stepped up and raised the Camera Obscura and looked through its viewfinder. Snapping a picture of the door, Aimi pulled out the photograph and she and Shou studied it.

In the photo was what appeared to be another residence, but it was hard to pinpoint where exactly it was. It could be anywhere in this old neighborhood. Perhaps Genda's house-key was in another house. Now Aimi and Shou went off to explore the abandoned neighborhood of houses. Walking along the back alleys, Shou led the way while shining his flashlight over at the abandoned houses while Aimi kept an eye out for any hostile spirits lurking about. They knew the only way to find Genda's house-key was to start searching these empty houses where residents used to live.

"Where do you suppose we should look first?" Shou asked.

"Well the photo showed us a house. Maybe we should…," but Aimi was cut off when she let out a startled cry when from out of nowhere, a little giggling ghost girl suddenly appeared and ran right by her.

Shou saw the ghostly girl too and watched as she seemed to disappear into the backyard of an old-fashioned looking house. Once Aimi got over her initial surprise, she too stared over at the house where the ghostly girl disappeared. Who was that girl? Aimi decided to investigate the house and gestured for Shou to follow her. Shou nodded his head and followed Aimi to the gate which was unlocked. Upon entering the backyard, Aimi and Shou seemed to step into one large flower garden. A garden filled with bright red amaryllises… Despite the lawn's neglected appearance, beautiful exotic amaryllises grew rampant around the rundown house. However Aimi and Shou felt uneasy seeing the beautiful flowers here… A sign of another Hanahaki Disease ghost?

Aimi and Shou proceeded with caution as they stepped into the house which was falling apart due to years of neglect. But there still were signs that a family had once lived here long ago… Using their flashlights to explore, Aimi entered the kitchen-section where she saw dirty piles of dishes in the sink, and she didn't dare approach the cupboard with the smell of rotten food. Upon further exploration of the house, Shou picked up some abandoned letters sitting on a nearby table and he and Aimi began to read them. One of the letters caught their interest…

* * *

**Dear Fumiko**

I just want to say how sorry I am about your daughter, Misako. She was your only child and I can only imagine the pain of losing her. I'm still in shock. Misako always seemed like such a healthy girl to me. When she grew ill, none of the doctors could explain what was wrong with her. I find it incredibly hard to believe that such a young vivacious girl could die of a heart-attack.

But what really bothers me is when Misako got sick she used to complain of coughing up flower petals. It didn't seem like one of her usual wild stories at the time. And I noticed her illness began ever since she laid eyes on the new boy who recently moved into the neighborhood. I didn't want to say anything before, but I fear Misako may have contracted the fabled illness, Hanahaki Disease.

It sounded like pure nonsense at the time, but I feel really bad about not mentioning it to you, Fumiko. But you were just so heartbroken at the time that it didn't seem right to bring it up. Now I can only give you my condolences. You were always such a good friend and a good neighbor. I hope someday your heart can recover.

**Sincerely, Yukiko**

* * *

At that exact moment, the Ghost Girl appeared to them, completely taking Aimi and Shou off-guard. "_I'm Misako…_," she greeted them. Dressed in a lovely ruby-red kimono decorated with pink floral patterns, the Ghost Girl's waist-long hair was covered with amaryllises and in the center of her chest sprouted flowers. After getting over their nasty shock, Aimi looked over at the Ghost Girl standing in the living-room… and noticed that the ghost appeared to be looking directly at Shou. The Ghost Girl vanished from sight, and Aimi breathed a sigh of relief. The little girl had to be none other than Misako…

"No clues here," Shou finally said. "Let's search another house."

Aimi agreed and followed Shou toward the exit. But they haven't seen the last of the Ghost Girl whom continued to stalk their every move. Leaving the Amaryllis House behind, Aimi and Shou decided to check out the house next door. Entering through the back gate, this house was in even worse shape. The house was falling apart due to weather conditions, weeds grew rampant, and there was what appeared to be a pond where Koi used to be kept. The pond was still filled with dirty black water and was filled with water-lilies. Shou went over and tried opening the backdoor but it was jammed shut. He turned back to Aimi.

"There's no way in. Come on, we'll try another house," Shou suggested.

Aimi started heading for the backyard gate but something stopped her. That's when she sensed it… The presence of an evil ghost… Unsettling feelings started to wash over Aimi as she could sense the ghost's erratic emotions… Loneliness, Anger, and an icy cold death… Suddenly bubbling sounds could be heard in the murky pond that caught both Aimi's and Shou's attention. They both watched in horror as a ghostly woman began to rise from the waters… covered with water-lilies and dripping wet. Her pale complexion, bloated face, her blank white eyes, she stepped out from the pond…

Aimi and Shou backed away in fright as the Pond Woman began advancing upon them. The horrid Pond Woman who coughed out watery water-lilies that she continued to choke on. Aimi was frozen with fear until eventually she forced herself to move. She raised the Camera Obscura up to her eye and prepared to exorcise the ghost. Capturing the Pond Woman's ghostly image in the viewfinder, Aimi's finger pushed the shutter button. She took one photo after another as the Pond Woman moved in to attack her.

Shou kept a safe distance from the attacking ghost but he couldn't help but worry for Aimi's welfare. "Aimi, look out!" Shou suddenly shouted when he noticed the Pond Woman rearing her head back and suddenly belching out a large puddle of water right at Aimi.

Aimi gasped out-loud as the icy-cold water hit her. Worse of all, a lily-pad blocked her camera's lens, preventing its use. As Aimi furiously wiped the water from her eyes and tried prying the lily-pad off the Camera Obscura, Shou had swiftly stepped in and managed to lure the Pond Woman away from her. Aimi frantically peeled off the lily-pad while looking up in time to see Shou dodging the Pond Woman's aggressive lunge for him. Wiping the water away from the lens, Aimi raised the Camera Obscura and aimed for the Pond Woman.

Feeling all her spiritual energy poured into the Camera Obscura, Aimi delivered a powerful fatal frame that sent the Pond Woman reeling. She took a second shot, then a third, and then a fourth. Then finally the final shot was enough to exorcise the hostile ghost once and for all. Aimi and Shou watched as the subdued Pond Woman fell to her knees before vanishing from their sight altogether. And leaving behind a glowing water-lily on the ground… Aimi stared down at the water-lily and she could still sense the ghost's emotions emanating from it. Shou watched with fascination as Aimi stepped forward and reached out for the water-lily. As soon as her fingertips touched the flower, she could look into the ghost's heart.

* * *

(**Flashback**)

_It was pure torture. Every day she'd watched him from her garden… Watching the only man she's ever loved have a family with another woman. Every day she'd come out to her garden just to watch him play in his backyard with his son, while his wife looked on fondly. She'd been engaged to him and yet he dared to fall in love with another. Now she was forced to watch her ex-fiancé live in marital bliss with another woman. Their happy family life a constant mockery to her…_

_Her obsession only continued to grow until it made her sick to her stomach. Soon it became too heartbreaking for her. Having nothing left to live for, she turned and headed straight for her pond… As if in a trance, all she could feel now was pain and heartache… Calmly she stepped into the pond and then with no hesitation lied back down until there was nothing left of her. All she could feel was the cold water… A life with no love was not a life worth living… This was her choice. If she couldn't have him, then she wanted nothing else in life…_

_She couldn't breathe… Her lungs felt ready to burst. But she closed her eyes and waited for her heart to stop beating in her chest. Darkness began to close in on her… Alone in death, surrounded by the water-lilies which were the only thing she ever loved…_

* * *

When the flashback ended, Aimi felt a warm hand holding on to hers. She looked up to see Shou watching her closely with his keen brown eyes. The water-lily crumbled into dust from her hand, but she couldn't look away from Shou. He had been watching her this whole time… He saw her using her unique spiritual abilities. Now he saw that she wasn't like other girls… But Shou's expression wasn't wary or filled with mistrust. He gazed knowingly into her eyes and smiled with sincere understanding. In that intimate moment, that's when Aimi knew… Shou didn't think any less of her.

"Come on. Let's keep going," Shou gently encouraged her. It was all Aimi needed to hear…

Together they left the yard and the pond behind and decided to try another house to explore. Finally they'd come to the last house on the left side of the block. Aimi and Shou started heading for the backyard gate when they stopped and happened to carefully study the house before him. It looked familiar. Another look at the photo showed them that this was the house. The house-key for Genda's residence must be inside here. Genda must have given a spare key to a neighbor he trusted. Aimi and Shou started to head for the backyard gate but immediately stopped when the Ghost Girl suddenly appeared to them.

"_Come play with me! Come play with me_…," the Ghost Girl's voice echoed playfully. She didn't seem aware of Aimi's or Shou's presence and instead was leaning over the wooden fence. She appeared to be peeking into the yard of the house before them. A second later the Ghost Girl vanished… When Shou stepped forward and approached the spot where the Ghost Girl once stood and that's when he spotted the abandoned note on the ground. Bending down to pick it up, Shou unfolded the note and saw that the Ghost Girl must have dropped it just now. The note contained childish writing.

* * *

**Little Girl's Note**

Hitoshi, I love u! Pleeze play with me!

* * *

Entering through the gateway, Aimi and Shou stepped onto the weed-covered lawn and spotted the toys left lying around. Signs that a child used to live in this house once… Aimi and Shou made their way over to the house where Shou had to force open the sliding door in order to gain entrance inside. Aimi went in first and held up her flashlight to shine around the living-room. Like all the other houses, the residence was empty and barren with only rotten pieces of furniture left. Shou entered next and his flashlight revealed an old CRT television that was broken and collecting dust in the living-quarters.

Aimi and Shou began their exploration of the deserted residence which was filled with trash and decomposed floors and walls. The dining-area had nothing but a lone table with an Herbal Medicine sitting on top to collect… Walking by the front-entrance, slippers sat abandoned on the side. No house-key on the hook there. Aimi started to head down the hallway but couldn't go any further due to debris from a collapsed roof that blocked the way. However she and Shou could see a room on the other side. Was there any way over there?

Instead they entered the one room that was accessible to them. A bedroom with an old-fashioned tatami-bed that sat centered in the room. The tatami-bed had filthy piles of blankets wrapped together that it almost looked like a body was hiding underneath the covers… It gave Aimi the shivers. After a thorough exploration of the room, they did find something of interest. Shou had been eying an old bureau leaning against the wall and noticed that it looked like it had been moved recently…

"Aimi, look…," Shou pointed out the bureau to her. "Maybe I can move it?" Shou went over and pushed the bureau with all his strength and managed to move it to the side. From there, he and Aimi could see that the bureau had been concealing a big hole in the wall. Shou and Aimi stepped closer for a better look. The hole wasn't big enough for Shou to slip through…

"I'll go check it out," Aimi offered. "Wait here for me, ok?" With that, Aimi bent down and crawled through the hole on her hands and knees. Once on the other side, she immediately began to explore.

The first thing she noticed was that this part of the house was blocked by the debris in the hallway. At least now Aimi could finally enter the room that was out of reach. Upon entering the room, Aimi could see that it was another bedroom. Despite the room's desolate appearance, it looked like a little boy once lived in here. Aimi could even see the little ragged bed in the corner, discarded broken toys laid scattered on the ground. An old-fashioned table with game-console sat abandoned at the corner of the room. However Aimi was drawn to the old desk that was cluttered with paper wads and trash. Using her flashlight to see better, Aimi found interesting writings on some of the wadded up paper-balls.

* * *

**Crumpled Notes**

Dr. Genda showed me his anatomy charts today. They were really gross but cool to see. Thanks to Dr. Genda, I was feeling better again and could go outside to play. It was bright and sunny! But I had to come in early because of that annoying girl who keeps hanging around my fence. I don't like her!

Dr. Genda is friends with my dad. He even went and gave dad an extra key to his house in case of emergency. I'm friends with Dr. Genda too! I'll take his house-key and keep it safe for him. I'll put it my favorite cookie tin!

* * *

After reading from the crumpled notes, sure enough, Aimi easily found the silver-colored cookie tin. Opening it revealed the extra key to Genda's residence. As soon as she obtained it, Aimi started to walk by the bedroom window to the door and became gasped out-loud at the sight of the Ghostly Girl standing at the bedroom window… looking in at her. "_Hi Hitoshi!_" the Ghostly Girl called out cheerfully before vanishing from sight. Aimi stood there and waited for her heart to calm down. For some reason, the Ghostly Girl seemed to think the little boy still lived here. And yet, why did the ghost think "she" was this Hitoshi?

Clutching the house-key in her hand, Aimi quickly exited the bedroom and returned to the hole in the wall where she crawled through to return to Shou's side. With the key in their possession, it was time to head back to the Genda residence. Walking side-by-side, Aimi and Shou started to make their way to the back-porch to exit the house. However they were met by a shocking sight…

Their only exit was blocked by a wall of brightly lit amaryllises. Aimi attempted to pry open the screen-door but it was sealed tightly and wouldn't budge. It seemed that a supernatural force was keeping the door firmly closed. Before they could figure out what to do next, the sounds of a giggling girl ringing out caused both Aimi and Shou to look frantically around with their flashlights. Shou saw her first… The Ghostly Girl standing behind them… It was scary to know that the Hanahaki Disease could affect young children like her. Aimi turned around and also spotted the Ghostly Girl standing there.

"_Come play with me! Don't you like me_?" the Ghostly Girl seemed to address Shou and began moving toward him. The ghost seemed to think Shou was the boy she once crushed on. As much as Aimi didn't want to, she had no choice but to bring out the Camera Obscura and snap a picture at the ghost.

Feeling the power of the camera absorbing spiritual energy from the ghost, Aimi took one snapshot and then another. Unfortunately the Ghost Girl turned hostile and began to fight back. Giggling coquettishly, the Ghostly Girl turned her sights on Aimi and started to advance upon her. Aimi was too busy clicking away with the Camera Obscura when suddenly Shou shouted out to her. "What's that? Aimi, watch out!"

Too late… Aimi looked down in time to see she'd stepped right into a patch of amaryllises. Before she knew it, amaryllises were suddenly crawling up her legs and immobilizing her on the spot. Unable to move, Aimi screamed out as the Ghostly Girl reached her and grabbed hold of her. Somehow Aimi managed to shove the Ghostly Girl back with all her strength. Now Aimi furiously tried shaking off the amaryllises that clung to her legs and kept her rooted to the spot. Looking over, she saw the Ghostly Girl creating more separate patches of amaryllises that Shou was trying to avoid.

While Shou distracted the ghost, Aimi was able to break free from the amaryllises. Even though her legs were shaking, Aimi determinedly held up the Camera Obscura and continued to exorcise the Ghostly Girl before she did any harm to Shou. It wasn't easy because of the patches of amaryllises on the ground made moving around extra tricky. With the assistance of Shou, Aimi managed to deliver enough snapshots to banish the Ghostly Girl. Aimi and Shou watched as the Ghostly Girl tearfully disappear into nothingness. It was actually a sad thing to see. As soon as the Ghostly Girl was gone, the bright red amaryllises blocking the doorway all shriveled up and died. Only then were Aimi and Shou able to exit the residence.

Heading back through the abandoned ruins of the neighborhood, Aimi and Shou managed to find their way back to Genda's Residence. Using the key to unlock it at last, they both finally entered the house. Inside the residence, the place was just as ramshackle as the other houses although it was surprisingly tidier in here. Armed with their flashlights, Aimi and Shou immediately began to search the place together. Because Dr. Genda was the town doctor, they spotted shelves filled with medical books and charts. A creepy-looking anatomy skeleton stood silently in the corner, earning a shudder from Aimi who looked warily over at it. There was nothing of interest in the kitchen. Now Aimi and Shou went further the down the hallway where they opened the first sliding screen-door they came to. Entering this room, they saw right away that this appeared to be an office.

Stepping into the room, Shou went over to gaze out the window where he could see the broken-down house next door. Meanwhile, Aimi had gone over to the desk which was filled with all kinds of documents. However she didn't find any useful information there. Just regular medical charts among other trivial paperwork… As Aimi turned away to explore some more, she froze when she first saw it. The Camera Obscura warmed in her hands and her sixth sense kicked in… Across the room, Aimi could see a shadowy ghost-like figure sitting on an abandoned chair with its head down. The ghost didn't appear to be hostile and seemed to ignore their presence.

Shou caught the alarmed look on Aimi's face and also turned to look at the chair which was empty. And yet… He could still sense an unsettling presence despite it being invisible to his eyes. Aimi decided to take a picture of the ghost which could only be identified as a "Sitting Visitor." The ghost vanished and Shou suddenly had the strong need to reach for Aimi's hand. But then Aimi turned around to face him and he could see the inner strength in her eyes. He gave her brave smile which she returned.

Aimi then shined her flashlight over at the old bookshelf. While examining some of the book titles, there was one that did catch her eye. Taking it out, she saw that it appeared to be a folder filled with some neatly hand-writing inside. It looked like Dr. Genda wrote this.

* * *

**Genda's Note 8**

Summing up everything I've learned in the town, I was able to obtain all the info I needed about the fabled disease, Hanahaki Disease. A supernatural illness that curses those with unrequited love… From what I've gathered, the Hanahaki Disease does seem to come in stages. The following below is the 3 stages.

Stage 1: The patient harbors unrequited romantic feelings for the object of their affection. The deeper their love grows, the stronger their longing becomes. Around this time, the patient complains of chest pains and trouble breathing.

Stage 2: During this time, the patient contracts the disease and begins to vomit out petals. The flowers can be different and be based on the patient's favorite flower or personality traits. At this early stage of the disease, the patient starts out throwing up flower petals and complains of their lungs feeling ready to burst.

Stage 3: This is the final stage of the disease. The flower petals become full-on flowers and the patient has tougher time breathing and suffers pain in their neck, chest and lungs. By now their unrequited love has grown stronger than ever that it's all but consumed them. It's at this point that the patient must make a crucial decision on rather to have their roots cut, permanently erasing their romantic love, or to succumb to their heart's desire.

* * *

Judging from the urban legends that surround the town of Matsumura, there were many patients who've chosen to embrace their fate. They travel to the forbidden Shadow Meadow where it is said the heartbroken are put to rest. A place where one becomes one with the garden… There are no pictures of this meadow and the local priest strongly forbids anyone from going there.

As Aimi's eyes read the words on the note, she could already feel the growing pain in her heart and in her lungs… Suddenly she felt as if she'd swallowed an ice-cube because she felt so cold all over. It was like a cruel reminder of what terrible fate awaited her if she didn't rid herself of the Hanahaki Disease. And when Aimi looked over to Shou who was studying a hanging scroll and Ikebana flower arrangement in the corner alcove, she couldn't control the powerful feelings she felt every time she laid eyes on him.

Shou turned around at the alarming sounds of Aimi having another coughing fit. Shou rushed to her side as Aimi vomited out bright beautiful gardenias onto the tatami-floor. Using all her physical strength, Aimi knew she had to keep a firm grip on her emotions and not allow them to overtake her. It was the only way to keep the disease from claiming her. It took a few minutes but as soon as she got it under control again, she looked up to see Shou's growing concern for her. After giving him her reassurances that she was ok, together they continued to explore the doctor's residence.

Leaving the office behind, they headed further down the hallway where they reached the last unexplored room. Sliding the screen-door open, Aimi and Shou stepped into what appeared to be the doctor's bedroom. Like everywhere else, the room was also messy and littered with trash and neglected furniture. But the tattered bed looked to be in good shape and there was also a desk here and bookshelves filled with more books based on medicine. Shou carefully eyed the book titles on the shelf but nothing caught his eye. Just regular books and tomes…

However Aimi was approaching the desk and shining her flashlight over some documents on the desk. But what really drew her attention was the old-looking notebook sitting on the desk. From the looks of it, it appeared to be an old storybook of some kind. Aimi waved Shou over and together they started flipping through the book and realized it was some old fairytale. Perhaps a fairytale commonly told around these parts of Japan?

* * *

**The Princess and the Flower**

Long ago, during the Edo period, a princess fell madly in love with her groom-to-be.

Although she was a doting and faithful wife, her husband never paid any attention to her.

She offered him her eyes so she could always gaze lovingly at him, he rejected it.

She offered him her arms so that she could always embrace him, he rejected it.

She offered him her lips so that she could always kiss him with passion, he rejected it.

No matter what she offered him, her husband wanted none of her love.

One day, the sad princess was taking a walk through her favorite garden.

When she reached out to pick a flower, she accidentally pricked her finger on a thorn.

To her surprise, a drop of her blood dripped to the ground and a flower grew in its place.

A Red Spider Lily…

Intrigued by the flower, the princess took the red-spider lily with her.

She decided to offer the flower to her husband in the hopes of earning his love.

But when she finally found her husband, she met a heart-crushing sight.

Her husband was in the loving arms of his mistress, whom he truly loved all along.

Heartbroken, the princess fled from the scene. She ran all the way back to her garden.

Weeping with loneliness, the princess took a knife and pierces her own heart.

From her heart spilled forth more Red Spider Lilies…

**(To this day, Red Spider Lily still symbolizes "to never meet again.)**

* * *

Once the story was finished, that's when Aimi finally understood it for the first time. It was all starting to come together now. The woman in the orange kimono… Aimi knew who she was and why she was here. The princess was the first sufferer of the Hanahaki Disease and her ghostly existence only caused others to suffer from their unrequited love too. Even in death, she was still plagued by her loveless curse…

Now that she knew what she was up against, Aimi already made up her mind. She turned to Shou. "She can't move on. Her heart won't allow her to rest. She's suffered for so long… Her heart, her feelings…"

"What are you saying?" Shou narrowed his eyes into a concerned frown. "What do you plan on doing?"

Aimi knew it was dangerous. There was a good chance she probably wouldn't come back alive. She might finally succumb to the disease. But maybe this was the only way. It was the only way to settle the matters of her heart once and for all. "I'm going to Shadow Meadow," Aimi said quietly.


	10. Chapter 10: Shadow Meadow

**Chapter 10: Shadow Meadow**

The mountain loomed ominously before them… The mountain which contained the old abandoned mines that were once harvested for their gold, iron and zinc so long ago. But at the heart of this mountain…was a forbidden area. A place where the heart-broken spirits were put to rest… Shadow Meadow. A sacred meadow that was said to grow above the netherworld…. It was also a place where those suffering from Hanahaki Disease chose to embrace their fate. This was it. This was their final destination…

Aimi and Shou stood side-by-side, staring determinedly at the mine entrance into the mountain. They weren't looking forward to going back in there…especially Aimi. She could sense so many restless spirits residing within. So many ghosts and their tumultuous emotions… She wondered if she would be able to withstand it. Shou couldn't stop worrying about Aimi's wellbeing. Her being so close to the mountain seemed to be having a negative effect on her. He was still against going to Shadow Meadow and had argued with Aimi all the way here. But now he knew there was no changing her mind. Aimi was dead-set on confronting the Unloved Woman and ending her relentless curse.

"I'm going with you," Shou vowed. "I won't leave you."

Hearing Shou say that gave Aimi the courage to do what she felt she needed to do. Despite her growing anxiety, Aimi held up the Spiritual Shears in both her hands. Shou eyed the shears uncertainly. Would this even work? So many things could go wrong. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Shou asked. "Will this really end the nightmare?"

Aimi stared down at the Spiritual Shears and then bravely took a step forward. Shou watched as Aimi slowly started walking toward the mineshaft. Just when he thought he wouldn't get an answer from her, Aimi suddenly stopped and without looking back at him, she began to speak softly. "I felt what she felt…," she admitted.

Shou didn't understand at first but then Aimi continued. "I saw into her heart… Her name was Hanari Kimura… She was the daughter of a wealthy lord. One day, she got married to a samurai… and she fell deeply in love with him." Aimi vividly recalled the icy hate in the ghostly woman's heart. It still made her feel cold all over. "She loved him…but he didn't love her. And so her love went unrequited…"

Shou couldn't take his eyes off of Aimi and hung onto her every word. This strange girl he's known since childhood. A girl unlike any other… "Her love went unrequited... and she contracted Hanahaki Disease," Aimi gently explained. "But her husband didn't love her… not once. She succumbed to her emotions and died from the disease."

As Aimi gazed into the darkness of the mineshaft, she could feel it just by standing here… The presence of malevolent spirits was getting stronger. A cold breeze blew from inside the mountain, sending chills down her spine. "She died…but she can't rest. She can't let go of her love," Aimi went on. "Even in death… she can't let go of her attachments. So Hanari continues to suffer from the disease. Her love has become twisted now."

"And how do you know all this?" Shou suddenly asked her. He came over to join Aimi by her side while listening to her every word. "How do you know how that woman feels? How could you know?"

Aimi hesitated… She couldn't look Shou in the face, she was too afraid. Her heart wouldn't stop pounding like a drum. She could feel the cursed disease writhing within her and threatening to make her throw up more gardenias. She was running out of time. She wouldn't be able to fight the Hanahaki Disease forever. If this final journey ended in her death, she at least wanted Shou to know the truth about one thing.

"It's because I can see ghosts," Aimi confessed. Shou stared at her in stunned silence. Aimi closed her eyes and let out a low sigh. "I have a sixth sense. It runs in my family. We also have a unique ability called "Empathy." It enables us to look into the hearts of ghosts and know what it is they're feeling."

Shou didn't know what to say. Somehow deep down inside, he always knew… Now knowing this interesting bit about Aimi, he realized that this didn't change anything. His feelings for Aimi Hanazawa will never change. And yet…Why did Aimi avoid looking at him? Shou's need for her was so strong that before he realized it, he was already reaching for her hand. He wanted to take her into his arms, to comfort her and to accept her. But Aimi was already moving away and Shou missed his chance… Aimi stepped in front of the entrance and shined her flashlight into the darkness to make out the tunnel.

"She's in there… Down at the deepest part of the mountain," Aimi was saying. "I can feel the emotions of so many heartbroken spirits… It's growing stronger. There's no one here to bring comfort for their souls. But I'll try to put an end to their suffering. And I'll try to free "her."

Armed with the Camera Obscura and the Spiritual Shears in hand, Aimi finally turned to Shou who was right behind her. It was time. Aimi was scared of what fate possibility awaited her. But she boldly stepped into the tunnel and prepared for the horrors waiting for her inside. Shou kept close to Aimi as he followed with his own flashlight. Walking through the railway tunnel which was lit by the old mine lanterns, Shou could sense something wrong. The air in here felt different. It felt cold and oppressive. Most unsettling of all, as they went further in, that's when the Red Spider Lilies seemed to suddenly show up…

All along the tunnel, brightly glowing Red Spider Lilies seemed to create a path of its own. "_It is said that Red Spider Lilies bloom between those who will never see each other again_… Shou looked uneasily over at Aimi and wondered if this was a foreshadowing sign… Deeper into the tunnel they went and along the trail, more red spider lilies appeared. It was so ice cold that Shou was already hugging himself while trying to keep warm. Something about this wasn't right. Shou was already getting goosebumps and he could feel the hair on his skin standing on end. This wasn't such a good idea. They were walking right into forbidden territory here.

"Aimi… I don't feel right," Shou finally broke the scary silence. He could hear his own trembling voice echoing throughout the tunnel. "We should go back." He got no response. "Aimi? Can you hear me?" Almost immediately Shou realized something was wrong with Aimi.

The powerful emotions of the spirits… They were too strong for her. Aimi couldn't keep them out. Her disease… she couldn't fight it any longer. The pain in her stomach had now traveled to her chest. And Aimi keep herself from falling victim to her own emotions. Her heart, her feelings… She couldn't ignore them any longer. Shou became alarmed when Aimi doubled over and uncontrollably vomited out beautifully glowing gardenias that flowed to the ground. Choking and gagging, Aimi found it harder to breathe. She was reaching the final stage of Hanahaki Disease… She was tempted to stop fighting it. Somehow without her realizing it, she felt compelled to follow the path of the Red Spider Lilies.

"Are you okay? Wait up!" Shou noticed that Aimi was walking further and further away from him. She seemed fixated on the Red Spider Lilies that lined along the tunnels. Almost like the flowers were luring her away… "Aimi stop! Don't go too far!" Shou shouted after her, hoping his loud echoing voice would snap her out of it.

But Aimi didn't slow down nor did she seem to hear him. As he feared, something was influencing her. Aimi was going further and further away from him. Shou started to run to catch up with her when something unexpected happened. Ghostly voices suddenly began to echo all around them. All around them, voices of the dead could be heard. Shou clamped hands over his ears to try to drown out the supernatural voices. This must be what Aimi was hearing as well… Due to her sixth sense, she was extra sensitive to the dead voices… Shou listened to the wailing voices of those who died brokenhearted and realized the voices were emanating from the Red Spider Lilies themselves.

"_I just wanted him to love me…" "I…will…always love you…" "I'll make him love me…I'll make him." "Please love me and only me…" "My love wasn't enough…" "I'll never love again. Never…"_

So many voices of the restless dead… Shou wondered if he'd be able to shut them out. And then Shou remembered Aimi and realized she'd gone ahead without him. "Aimi!" Shou shouted while hurrying through the dark tunnel with his flashlight in hand. "Aimi!" Trying to ignore the chilling voices of the dead in the background, Shou hurried down the cavernous tunnel that led ever downward. He knew where Aimi was heading. She was being lured to Shadow Meadow itself… Would she succumb to the Hanahaki Disease?

Along the way, Shou's foot suddenly kicked into something. Looking down to see what it was; Shou saw the Camera Obscura lying abandoned on its side. Aimi must have dropped it. Shou picked up the camera and continued his way down the tunnel. Finally Shou reached the center of the mountain and recognized the chamber where there with different tunnels leading into different directions. Luckily he didn't have to figure out which one was the right tunnel because bright Red Spider Lilies seemed to form a path toward the tunnel on the far right. He had to stop Aimi before she reached the meadow…

Following the path of the red spider lilies, Shou hurried down the tunnel that seemed to lead ever downward. Deeper and deeper into the mountain itself. Shou reached the wooden plank that formed a bridge where he was able to safely walk across. And as Shou followed the tunnel even further, the air was so cold that Shou felt numb from it. And in the distance, he could hear Aimi's voice ringing through the tunnel ahead. She seemed to be talking to herself. Shou was able to make out some of the words what she was saying…

"I don't want to stop loving him… I love him…too much. So I'll go on loving him… Forever…"

Shou realized to his horror what Aimi was planning. "Aimi! Don't!" Shou shouted loudly, hoping his voice would reach Aimi. "Don't do it! I can't lose you! Not like this!" Feeling his heart pounding hard in his chest and his own growing fear, Shou didn't slow down as he ran faster down the icy tunnel. "Don't leave me, Aimi!"

Shou hated himself for his own cowardice. He should have told Aimi his feelings a long time ago. He let fear come in between them. But he now knew there was only one true way to end this nightmare. There was only one way to pull Aimi back from the precipice. "_I'm going to tell her_," Shou thought determinedly. "_I have to tell her. It's the only way to save her life."_

At last, Shou saw the Torii gate and that's when he knew he'd reach the point of no return. Once he crossed this gate, there was no turning back. Without hesitation, Shou crossed the gate and entered the pitch-black Mountain Abyss. So dark that not even the light could penetrate its wall of darkness. Taking a few more steps forward, Shou spotted the little patch of red-spider lilies where he earlier found Aimi. That's when Shou realized there was someone sitting in the patch of red-spider-lilies. He immediately hurried toward the shadowy figure…

"Aimi…," Shou said hopefully. But he stopped and froze on the spot. It wasn't her. Shou watched in fright as the figure slowly stood up and turned to face him. At first he didn't recognize her, but then he realized who it was. "Naoki…," he murmured.

Naoki glared angrily back at him, bright beautiful orange lilies sprouting from her neck and chest which seemed to only add to her pain. "_Why couldn't you… love me_?" Naoki's voice dripped with bitterness. Shou started backing away as the ghostly girl started to move menacingly toward him. "_You didn't love me… NOW I SUFFER BECAUSE OF YOU!"_

Without warning, Naoki started lunging for him in a terrifying screaming rage. Shou cried out in terror as he could feel the ghostly hands of Naoki Sugitani grabbing at his throat. He fought with all his might to rip those icy-cold hands away and pushed the ghost of Naoki back. Shou massaged his neck while trying to catch his breath and stop his heart from pounding so hard. That took a lot out of him that Shou took a swig of Herbal Medicine for an extra boost of energy. He realized that the cold oppressive atmosphere down here seemed to make malicious spirits stronger than ever. Maybe it was because they were closer to the netherworld?

"_Why couldn't you love me?!_" Shou heard Naoki spat those spiteful words at him. He spun around in time to see her standing there in the pitch-darkness of the chamber, orange-lily petals floating all around her. Suddenly the brightly-colored petals shot at him like bullets, causing Shou to shield himself from the oncoming attack. Again Naoki came running at him in a fury but this time Shou was ready for it. With his finger on the shutter-button, he automatically pressed it to snap a fatal-shot of his former classmate coming at him.

It wasn't easy moving around in the deep-dark chamber. The flashlight was dim in the deep darkness. Shou managed to adjust his eyes to the darkness while looking for the evil ghost stalking him. All around him, orange-lily petals floated in the air like dust particles. The orange petals shot at him like darts in a move to distract him. But with perfect timing, Shou spun around in time to furiously snap photos Naoki who came charging after him with such aggression. It hurt him to see the fate that befell Naoki Sugitani. He was determined to make sure Aimi wouldn't suffer the same fate…

Shou stepped onto the patch of red-spider lilies that glimmered brightly in the darkness. Just as Naoki was moving in to attack him again, Shou used all the exorcising power in the Camera Obscura to deliver the final fatal shot that sent Naoki reeling. Shou watched pitifully as Naoki clutched at her chest and seemed unable to look at him anymore. Suddenly in that very moment, she appeared human to him… As he watched her, the ghost of Naoki didn't vanish and instead continued to linger. Would she ever be able to move on? Or would her love for Shou always anchor her to the world of the living?

"_Why couldn't…you… love me?_" Naoki asked sadly for one last time.

Shou thought she deserved an answer. "Because I love Aimi…"

Naoki said nothing. Maybe she would never stop loving him. Instead Shou watched solemnly as Naoki slowly went straight for the little patch of red spider lilies. Right before Shou's eyes, Naoki's spirit seemed to become absorbed by the red spider lilies until her soul became one with the garden… The red spider lilies turned extra red and then Shou knew in his heart that he and Naoki were destined to never meet again… Maybe it was for the best. Naoki would be guided to afterlife…

Once this emotional dilemma was resolved, Shou decided to head for the tunnel on the other side. He had to reach Aimi fast. Hurrying down the cavernous tunnel, Shou felt himself heading ever deeper underground. Reaching the bottom, Shou entered a large opening where the path continued downward alongside a deep chasm on the side. Carefully walking along the cliff-side, Shou looked uneasily down into the deep bottomless abyss below. But all he saw was darkness. If he didn't watch his step, he could lose his footing and fall to his death… an unsettling thought.

Shou was following the stone-carved path downwards when he suddenly felt the Camera Obscura growing warm in his hands. Even without a sixth sense, Shou realized the camera seemed to pick something up. Something supernatural emanating from the dark abyss itself. Out of curiosity, Shou held up the camera and took a picture of the abyss. A ghost materialized into view… "Talking Eyes." Further and further down he went until at last Shou reached another tunnel that seemed to only taking him deeper. Just how deep did this go? But he had to keep going. Aimi could be somewhere down below.

Before Shou reached the end of the tunnel, he stopped when suddenly another ghost appeared. A ghostly man was walking down the same path as him. A man who judging by his old-fashioned garments and eboshi hat indicated he was probably from an older time period. Unaware of Shou, the mysterious man seemed to head deeper into the mountain. However Shou was able to overhear what the ghostly man was saying…

"_She must be put to rest… She must let go of her love…_" Shou watched the man disappeared from sight. And then he headed down the exact same tunnel. He wondered what awaited him up ahead.

Shou continued to follow the rocky tunnel and all while hoping to find Aimi on the other side. Along the way, he ended up finding something interesting along the way. Shou spotted something lying abandoned on the dirt-ground and shined his flashlight down to see that it appeared to be a Black Notebook. Maybe that man dropped it? Shou picked up the notebook and saw that most of its pages were dirty. It must have been down here a long time. Luckily the writing was still legible.

* * *

**Black Notebook 1**

The restless spirits of the heartbroken have been growing intense. Even from my own residence, I can sense imbalance and malevolence coming from the mountain. I fear a powerful presence. I try offering prayers, love trinkets and tokens at the Hollow of Comfort. It's not enough. Something won't rest. Something deep down below…

Matsumura is a town rich with fabled stories and fairytales but the most popular one of all is the story about the Princess and the Flower. A story passed down since the Edo period. During those times, the Kimura Family was the richest family in the town back then and it's often said that the lord's only daughter was the first to contract the Hanahaki Disease around these parts. It's said that the princess's body was buried at sacred ground in the deepest part of the mountain. This would later become the legendary Shadow Meadow…

* * *

The next couple of pages were too dirt-smeared to read. However Shou was able to make out the last part.

* * *

She won't rest. She must be put to rest. I'll go there… To the forbidden garden… Deep in the mountain… I will end her suffering. It's the only way.

* * *

The ghostly man must be the Shrine Keeper. He must have come down here in a brave attempt to exorcize the Unloved Woman. And yet… What happened to him? Did he not succeed? With these thoughts in mind, Shou hurried down the tunnel. No doubt about it… It all leads back to the Unloved Woman. Her cursed presence had a major effect on other sufferers of the Hanahaki Disease. She encouraged all victims to join her in her garden of suffering… "_Aimi_…" Shou thought worriedly. He hoped it wasn't too late.

Shou felt as if he'd travel for miles but finally the tunnel seemed to end in another large and wide cavernous chamber. Stepping into the pitch-dark room, Shou took his time exploring. This appeared to be the oldest place in the mountain. Shou looked up but it was too dark to see the ceiling from above. After taking a couple of steps forward, that's when he nearly tripped over something lying on the ground. When Shou looked down to see what it was, he couldn't stop himself from uttering a horrified gasp.

Lying before him was a body… Once Shou got over his shock, he hesitantly approached the body and held up his flashlight for a better look. It was the Shrine Keeper. The very man he saw coming this way. It looks like he'd been dead for a very long time. As Shou stared down at the dead body before him, he wondered what could possibly have happened to him. Upon further examination, that's when Shou spotted it… Clutched in the Shrine Keeper's fist was a shining Red Spider Lily. Shou stared at the flower and wondered if he dare touch it. Very slowly, Shou reached out a trembling hand and tried to see if he could remove the flower from the dead man's grip. One touch of the red lily's petal and immediately Shou could tap into the memories contained within.

* * *

(**Flashback**)

_He could sense it. Just beyond this door. The stone-door was carved into the mountain long ago. It took a little strength to push the door open and gain entrance into the "Forbidden Garden." The one place where the living should never go… Before him was a wide expanse of brightly glimmering Red Spider Lilies… He'd reach Shadow Meadow at last and it was as beautiful and haunting as described._

_Only those suffering from Hanahaki Disease or nursing a broken-heart chose to come here. To become one with the garden and where the fabled Red Spider Lilies then guided their lost souls into their next afterlife… It was a lonely journey. In popular folklore, Shadow Meadow is said to be directly above the netherworld… the land of the dead._

_The Shrine Keeper took a couple of steps into the massive garden of red lilies and could only see darkness as far as the eye could see. But she was here… This was still her final resting place. Only she refused to let go of her attachments. Her love had become too powerful, too corrupted now. The Shrine Keeper took ten steps but stopped when he finally saw her. He knew her name, knew the fairytales still told about her. Hanari Kimura…_

_Despite her old-fashioned yet elegant orange kimono, red-spider lilies could be seen nesting in her long waist-long raven hair. Hanari's back was to him, she didn't seem aware of his presence at first. Instead the Unloved Woman sat crouched among the sea of red lilies, sobbing miserably. The Shrine Keeper felt immense sympathy for the restless spirit. Hanari continued to suffer the disease in death. There was only one way to sever her attachments once and for all._

_Reaching into his kimono, the Shrine Keeper took out a specially blessed Kama that would he enable him to perform the deed. Holding the weapon in front of him, the Shrine Keeper mentally prepared himself to do what needed to be done. It would be doing Hanari a kindness… Her tainted love would only continue to spread like a curse. The Shrine Keeper slowly moved in while trying to keep his breathing under control. Closer and closer to the dead woman… His heart was beating so hard that he was afraid Hanari might hear it. Finally he was practically behind her, and he raised the Kama…_

_Suddenly something slithered around his leg. It stopped him in his tracks and made him look down. The Shrine Keeper's eyes widen in horror as he saw the Red Spider Lilies move as if alive. Tendrils of Red Spider Lilies seemed to start wrapping around his legs and start growing on him. In a fit of panic, the Shrine Keeper desperately tried hacking away at the flowers slithering up his waist like snakes. He could feel the stems tightening around his legs; he could smell the poisonous spores from the flowers. He'd been so distracted trying to cut the red spider lilies, he looked up and he saw her._

_Hanari stood facing him now… Her orange kimono smeared with dirt-stains, half her face covered with Red Spider Lilies, and glaring furiously at him with her one good eye. And as the Shrine Keeper stared back at her in horror, Hanari lifted her hand reached out for his face. It happened so fast. Her hand was icy cold to the touch that it seemed to freeze his insides. But then the Shrine Keeper felt unspeakable pain growing on the side of his face._

_Filled with absolute terror now, before he knew it, the Shrine Keeper was already running breathlessly through the fields of Red Spider Lilies for his life. Clutching at his face, the pain didn't subside and seemed to grow worse. Then he could feel it… Plants growing underneath his skin, his cheek… bursting out of his flesh and covering and entwining around his head, his neck… The Shrine Keeper finally reached the stone doors but didn't realize he was screaming… Until his blood-curling screams were cut off by the vines growing in his lungs… silencing him for good._

* * *

It was too much for Shou who immediately flinched away from the corpse and needed a moment to calm his wildly thudding heart from fright. As Shou was trying to process what he just seen in the flower's petals, that's when he saw the corpse suddenly move… The flashlight shook in Shou's hand as he couldn't take his eyes off of the corpse slowly starting to rise before him. That's when Shou saw the Shrine Keeper's face and stared in stunned horror. A skull grinned back at him… All that remained of the Shrine Keeper was his twisted grinning skull with vines and plants growing out of its eye sockets along with his skeletal remains. The dead man was now an evil ghost and he was advancing toward Shou. And that's when Shou saw the Shrine Keeper raise his Kama, preparing to attack…

Shou tried to get his hands to stop shaking so much as he raised the Camera Obscura to his eye just as the Shrine Keeper reached him. Shou cried out as he dodged the ghost's slashing Kama. Shou scrambled to put distance between him and the hostile ghost. When he turned to look back, the Shrine Keeper was already pursuing him, armed with his deadly weapon. "_She must be put to rest_," the Shrine Keeper's raspy voice croaked. Shou steadied the Camera Obscura and waited for the ghost to come closer.

Just as the Shrine Keeper reared back his arm and prepared to attack, Shou pressed the shutter-button and snapped powerful shots of the ghost. The Shrine Keeper let out a wailing shout as he was blown back by the power of the camera. As Shou was trying to keep the ghost within his viewfinder, suddenly the Shrine Keeper retaliated. The Shrine Keeper started swinging his Kama in pure aggression, causing Shou to run for safety. Trying to see his way through the pitch-dark chamber, Shou frantically looked around for the ghost. The Shrine Keeper seemed to blend in with the darkness.

Using his flashlight to locate the attacking ghost, Shou thought he spied the Shrine Keeper lurking in the distance. Shou was raising the camera to his eye when he noticed the Shrine Keeper doing something unsettling. Staring back at him with those soulless eye-sockets, the dead man pointed his Kama right at Shou, and suddenly his skull started flying through the air to attack him. Shou cried out in pain as he felt the Shrine Keeper's skull try to sink its teeth into his neck. Shou struggled to pry the biting skull off. It wasn't easy; the ghostly skull seemed to drain his energy by the second. Finally he managed to swat the skull off and watched as the flying skull continued to circle around him from above like a vulture.

Soon Shou was constantly on the move, running blindly through the dark chamber while the ghastly skull continued to hover after him. As the ghostly skull swooped down at him, Shou also had to contend with the headless Shrine Keeper still coming at him with his deadly Kama. It was difficult but Shou managed to stand still long enough to use the Flash on the camera to repel the levitating skull. This enabled him to take more powerful shots at the Shrine Keeper with the Camera Obscura. The Shrine Keeper put up a big fight until finally Shou delivered the fatal shot to exorcise the spirit once and for all.

The Shrine Keeper with its skull-head attached once more, collapsed to its knees before falling flat-down onto the ground and disappearing with a loud pained groan. "_She must be put to rest_," the Shrine Keeper's voice echoed into the cavernous chamber. "_She must sever her attachments or she will only continue to suffer…_" And just like that, the Shrine Keeper was no longer of this world, or so Shou hoped.

Once the danger has passed, silence descended upon the dark chamber. Despite the cold air, Shou was sweaty from all that running around. The Shrine Keeper failed to stop Hanari Kimura. Now it was time to prepare for the final battle. Now Shou moved forward and just like in his vision, that's when he spotted the big stone-door. This was it… The forbidden garden was beyond here. This must be where Aimi went. It was also the place where Hanari Kimura was buried… Shou didn't know what fate awaited him beyond this door but he prepared himself mentally and emotionally. He had to get to Aimi before it was too late. Ignoring the dread in his heart, Shou bravely pushed the heavy stone-door open and slipped inside.

* * *

**This is it. The Final battle. I hope my readers are prepared for it. I wanna thank you all for reading this far and I hope it was a spooky scary Fatal Frame experience for ya. I promise the ending won't disappoint! And now my reading peepers have to make the ultimate decision of their own. **


	11. Final Chapter: Red Spider Lily

**Final Chapter: Red Spider Lily**

The second Shou stepped through the door; he wasn't prepared for the blast of icy air to blow into him. It was practically like a freezer in here. After crossing a rock bridge to the other side, that's when Shou found himself stepping onto a large underground field filled with bright red spider lilies. The air in here was so thick that it was almost too suffocating to breathe. Shou was chilled to the bone as he began walking among the sea of red-spider lilies. Deeper and deeper he went that Shou felt like he'd been walking for hours. All around him, the beautiful red lilies shimmered in the dark and every now and then, Shou could have sworn he heard ghostly whispering coming from the flowers…

Just when he was wondering how far he'd traveled, Shou stopped when he spotted something from above. At the top of the mountainous roof, he could make out a circular hollow with light shining down… That must be the Hollow of Comfort where one could safely view the Forbidden Garden down below. As Shou walked further and further out into the garden, the air only grew more oppressive. It got so bad that it was starting to give him a dizzying feeling. Shou had to stop to clear his mind because the atmosphere down here was so overwhelming. But then that's when he heard a voice… Shou looked up and saw someone standing not too far away in the meadow.

"Aimi!" She was here. Her back was to him but she seemed to be really out of it. This whole place must a negative effect on her due to her sensitive sixth sense. But he finally found her. "Aimi! It's me!" Shou hurried to her at once.

Aimi didn't answer but instead kept murmuring nonstop to herself. "I'll never stop loving him… Here I can never stop loving him…" Trapped with her own thoughts, all Aimi could think about was how this was so much better. She would accept the disease… She wouldn't have to sacrifice her feelings. She was so caught up with her emotions that a loud shout suddenly snapped her back to her senses.

It took Aimi a moment to realize that she wasn't alone here in Shadow Meadow. She heard someone scream her name and it brought her back to earth. "Shou!" she spun around and saw him. Before her very eyes, vines slithered up from the red spider lilies and entwined around Shou's neck, his arms, legs, dragging him down to the flowery depths. "Shou!" He came for her. Despite everything, Shou risked his life for her.

"Shou! Hold on! I'm coming!" Seeing Shou in danger finally prompted Aimi into action. She raced through the red lilies, trying to make her way over to Shou who was being wrapped up in vines. Upon reaching him, Aimi frantically tried ripping the vines apart. It was no use. But then Aimi remembered the Spiritual Shears and pulled them out to start clipping at the vines.

The air down here was so stifling. And it was taking all of Aimi's mental power to ignore the otherworldly emotions of the dead that was wafting through the air like a poisonous miasma. This was definitely no place for the living… Aimi was working furiously to cut the vines and free Shou but it was proving too difficult. More and more vines snaked around Shou's body and pulled him down into the fields of red spider lilies that he was practically hidden from view. Suddenly the air turned ice-cold that Aimi could see her breath coming out in puffs. And then she heard that familiar horrid voice. That emotionless dead voice filled with hatred and resentment.

"_You'll remain unloved…too_." Standing not too far away in the meadow was Hanari Kimura herself. Aimi stared at her. The Kimura princess who'd spent centuries suffering from unrequited love. And she continued to suffer from Hanahaki Disease even in death. In that very moment, Aimi realized she didn't want to suffer Hanari's fate too. Hanari's love had become her tragedy…but Aimi wouldn't go down the same path.

"You're wrong…," Aimi spoke softly. Now she knew how she truly felt. But above all, she understood Hanari's pain. She knew what had to be done. Aimi looked down upon realizing that Shou had shoved the Camera Obscura toward her. Now Aimi took back the camera and decided that she had to leave Shou for the moment. Armed with the Camera Obscura and the Spiritual Shears, there was only one thing she could do for Hanari now. Perform the Severing Ritual…

"_You'll be unloved too!_" Hanari's cold voice raged at her. As if sensing Aimi's rejection, this sent Hanari into a murderous attack. This would be the final battle… The key would be to calm Hanari's restless spirit. "_I was never loved! I wanted love! All I have is love! My love is forever!_"

All around her the red spider lilies glowed vividly as Aimi prepared to do battle with the Unloved Woman. All around her she could feel the anguished emotions of the dead. All of those who never found love… Hanari floated threateningly toward her, red-spider lilies sprouting from her face, her neck, her orange-kimono, her dirt-stained waist-long hair. The red lilies on Hanari's ghost shimmered too and it appeared that she was connected to the garden itself. This would be Aimi's most deadly spirit to face…

Aimi raised the Camera Obscura and tried to catch the Unloved Woman with the viewfinder. Once she managed to align her shot, she snapped a photo of the evil spirit and… it had no effect. For some reason, the Camera Obscura was unable to do any damage to the Unloved Woman. How was she to fight back? As Hanari advanced upon her threateningly, Aimi let out a scream as a powerful twister of red spider lilies swirled underneath the ground she stood upon. The pain was excruciating as Aimi could feel the storm of lilies slice at her very soul. So powerful that she could even hear the voices of the unloved spirits emanating from the flowers.

"_Why didn't he accept my love?" "Why shouldn't she love me? "I deserve her love!" "I'll not be rejected! No, I won't settle for less!" "I've loved him since forever! Forever I'll continue to love_." Aimi clapped both hands over her ears, desperately trying to quiet the turbulent voices.

"_I can hear the voices… of so many unloved…_," Hanari's voice floated over to her and carried a melancholy tone to it. "_So many broken hearts…so much pain..._" Aimi watched as the vengeful ghost of Hanari ducked down into the meadow of red spider lilies and vanished from sight.

Aimi's eyes darted all around while gripping the Camera Obscura and the Spiritual Shears. She turned around in time to see the Unloved Woman rising from the ruby-red blossoms and move toward her to attack again. If she wasn't careful, Hanari would attack with another twister. Again Aimi brought the camera up and tried to snap another photo at her target but to no avail. Why didn't the Camera Obscura have effect on the Unloved Woman? Was she truly impervious to the camera's exorcising powers? Luckily Aimi saw a patch of red-spider lilies glowing ominously and dodged just in time as another strong twister of red-spider lilies came shooting up from the meadow itself.

And as Aimi studied the Unloved Woman, that's when she figured it out. She knew what the problem was. Those red-spider lilies growing all over the Unloved Woman's ghostly body seemed to act like shields. Those flowers had to be removed… Aimi gripped the Spiritual Shears in her hand and knew what had to be done. It was a risky move and it would probably get her killed. But there was only one certain way she was going to be able to do this. Aimi stood still and waited for the Unloved Woman to come after her. And just as the hostile ghost reached out her hand in attack, Aimi immediately slashed the shears at once.

The Spiritual Shears grew warm in her hand as she slashed at the red spider lilies, cutting off three. The Unloved Woman let out an ear-splitting scream that sent shivers through Aimi's entire being. Then the Unloved Woman cringed and that gave Aimi an opening. Now she switched to the Camera Obscura and using her strongest film, Type-Zero film, snapped a photo of the vulnerable ghost. This time, Aimi could feel the full power of the Camera Obscura and she knew it had an effect.

Suddenly two powerful twisters of red-spider lilies whirled around her and Aimi had to move to keep herself from being sucked in. The Unloved Woman was attacking again and she'd still had more red lilies growing all over her. Aimi knew there was only one way to appease Hanari Kimura's spirit now…

As soon as the red twisters died down, Aimi again waited for the Unloved Woman to come toward her once again. If she didn't time it right, she could be killed right on the spot. Just as the evil spirit reached for her, Aimi was ready and furiously slashing at more Red-Spider Lilies, cutting off four more lilies. Then quickly switching to the camera to snap more shots of the Unloved Woman… Aimi cried out when three twisters trapped her in the center where she could feel the slicing petals cutting at her while trying to keep herself from being pulled in. It was proving trickier each time.

Once the red twisters vanished, Aimi turned around in time as the Unloved Woman was moving in for the kill. There were only five red-spider lilies growing on the Unloved Woman now… Aimi would be able to do more damage if she could chop off more of the flowers. With careful timing, the Unloved Woman tried reaching for her and that's when Aimi attacked with the Spiritual Shears. More and more Red Spider Lilies fell off the dead woman's body, rendering her more exposed. As Aimi used the Spiritual Shears over and over, that's when she noticed the shears in her hand was growing colder and colder. It seemed the shears was starting to lose its power.

Up to four twisters whirled dangerously up from the field of red lilies and Aimi was forced to retreat for now. But as she tried dodging the powerful twisters and sharp petals, that's when she noticed it. The Unloved Woman had one more red-spider lily left… A lone lily grew in her chest. Once Aimi cut that flower off, the Severing Ritual would be complete. It wouldn't be easy with the four twirling twisters moving through the meadow. Forcing Aimi to constantly be on the move while trying to face-off against the Unloved Woman…

In her heart, Aimi could feel the Hanahaki Disease finally reaching its final stage. There was no going back after this. Maybe she could finally put her own feelings to rest once and for all… Gripping the Spiritual Shears tightly in her right hand while holding the Camera Obscura in her left, Aimi gathered all the courage she had left and prepared to finally finish this.

With no red-spider lilies left to shield her, Aimi was able to use the full extent of the Camera Obscura by taking one powerful photo after another. Each hit draining the Unloved Woman of its spiritual energy until finally the malevolent ghost was on its last legs. Aimi's finger pressed the shutter button and took the last shot… The Unloved Woman let out a blood-curling scream before sinking down onto its knees in the field of red-spider lilies. It was now or never. Time to finish this… Gripping the Spiritual Shears in her hand, Aimi cautiously approached Hanari Kimura and prepared to cut the last red-spider lily.

Without warning, Hanari started coughing up uncontrollably and seemed to spit out more spider lilies deep within her own womb. Aimi felt terrible pain in her stomach that before she knew it, she fell onto her knees too and was vomiting out white gardenias clogged within her throat. Already it felt like her lungs were about to burst and Aimi realized she couldn't breathe anymore. Time was up…

The pain was excruciating. If she didn't do something fast, Aimi would finally succumb to the disease. Still holding the Spiritual Shears in her hands, she knew there was only one thing she could do. This decision would cost her everything but she had no other option… or did she? In between her coughing fits, Aimi was able to look over to see the long dead Unloved Woman suffering just as much as she was. It came down to two choices. Either Aimi sever her own attachments forever or she severed Hanari Kimura's bond for good. She would make a sacrifice but which one was the correct one?

**Option 1: If you want Aimi to use the Spiritual Shears on Hanari Kimura, head to Ending A**

**Option 2: If you want Aimi to use the Spiritual Shears on herself, head to Ending B.**

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**Okay my reading troopers. This is it. The choice you makes will determine what ending you will get. But which ending will you get? That depends on which option you choose. I hope you make it a good one! Thanks so much for reading my Fatal Frame story. It was fun writing! And now without further ado, go see which ending this will earn you! **


	12. Ending A

**Ending A**

**Forever Bonded Ending**

In her heart, Aimi knew what really needed to be done. Ignoring her own heartache and pain, Aimi finally delivered the final blow by slicing the glowing Red Spider Lily from Hanari Kimura's chest. At last the deed was done. Feeling the shears growing cold in her hand, Aimi watched as the dead woman sat crouched in the field of red lilies, harmless and docile. With all her roots cut off for good, Hanari Kimura was finally cured of her Hanahaki Disease. Now Aimi watched silently as Hanari slowly rose up and seemed to gaze over at her where their eyes met.

For the first time, Hanari Kimura looked just as she did when she was once alive. But her expression remained melancholy as she stared piteously at Aimi standing there in the meadow of shadows. At least her soul was free now… With nothing tying her to this world, Hanari's spirit got absorbed into the red lilies and became one with the garden. And that's when Aimi knew it was over. The Red Spider Lilies would form the path that would guide Hanari Kimura into the next life… But unfortunately, Aimi knew her own time had come at last. There was no saving her from her own disease.

The Spiritual Shears fell from her hand as Aimi's coughing fit hadn't let up but only this time, she couldn't stop it. She couldn't stop loving Shou. So she would live forever with the pain of unrequited love. Perhaps she would become the next ghost who couldn't rest in peace… Aimi closed her eyes as she felt the gardenias growing from her open mouth and waited for the pain to stop, waited for her heart to stop beating in her throbbing chest. Maybe it was better this way. This way she wouldn't have to give it up.

"STOP AIMI!"

Shou was just in time as he managed to free himself from the Red Spider Lilies and immediately raced to Aimi's side. It wasn't too late. He reached her in time. And now he threw his arms around her and was determined to put an end to it once and for all. "I love you! I've always loved you!" Shou finally confessed.

Shou hoped it was enough. He hoped Aimi believed that their love could be real. Here in this supernatural underground meadow where broken hearts were laid to rest, Shou prayed that his love could pull Aimi back from the brink. Aimi had stiffened in his arms and Shou feared that his confession had come too late. Maybe it wasn't enough. However whatever doubts Shou had, vanished the second he felt Aimi returning their embrace. Shou's heart burst with pure happiness and relief as Aimi nestled her head in his chest and that's when he knew…

Aimi could feel it… The pain was subsiding. The white gardenias withered out of her mouth and vanishing altogether. It wasn't in vain. Shou loved her too and she would never have doubts about that. And finally the Hanahaki disease was lifted and cursed her no more. It was finally over. Standing together among the beautiful meadow of red-spider lilies, Aimi lifted her head up to smile into Shou's eyes. Despite everything's that happened, their love got them through the horrible night.

"I love you, Shou," Aimi whispered lovingly. "I never stopped loving you."

Shou's hand reached up to fondly caress Aimi's tender face as he gazed into her dark eyes. Suddenly the both of them looked up in time to notice the others ghosts that haunted the abandoned town of Matsumura. The ghosts of Ayuki Kihara, Manami Ishida, Yasue Takagi, and even her once good friend, Naoki Sugitani. All the restless spirits have arrived here and they too became one with the garden of red spider lilies. Perhaps Aimi's and Shou's love provided the token needed to placate the lonely spirits and to ensure their journey to the otherworld.

Aimi bent down and picked up the Spiritual Shears and studied the object in her hand. Shou had already picked up the Camera Obscura and checked it carefully for any damage done to it. Now hand-in-hand with Aimi by his side, the two of them decided there was no reason to hang around Shadow Meadow any longer. The spirits here could finally rest in peace. And with her special Empath abilities, Aimi Hanazawa may take up the mantle to cure those from suffering one-sided love. Something the previous Shrine Keeper was unable to do anymore. Aimi and Shou would leave Matsumura and reunite with Ume…

**Epilogue **

The Cherry Blossom Festival was always one of Aimi's favorite events. Holding hands with her boyfriend Shou, the two of them strolled along the pavement while taking in the picturesque view of the pink flower petals cascading from the trees along with the light breeze. It was one of the popular spots to see the cherry blossoms in full view this spring. Thanks to their adventures in Matsumura, Aimi and Shou were closer than ever. And as for Shou's little sister Ume, she too made a full recovery from the Hanahaki Disease. Hopefully now Ume could find someone who could reciprocate her love…

Aimi was walking along the path while happily watching other the romantic couples' picnic on the bright green fields while taking pictures of the stunning cherry blossom trees. The weather conditions were perfect today as there wasn't a cloud to be seen in the bright blue sky. As Shou was excitedly pointing out the view of the river to her, something caught Aimi's attention.

Standing not too far away was what appeared to be a young woman. A woman who stood facing the field of the happy couples and families frequenting the park. Aimi stopped walking and curiously watched the woman while wondering why she was overcome with a familiar feeling. Shou noticed the woman too and also saw the way his girlfriend was staring at her. Aimi recognized the feeling all too well. Due to her ability of Empathy, she could sense the woman was suffering from one-sided love. This could only mean one thing…

Seeing the sadness in the woman's expression, Aimi turned to Shou who nodded his head encouragingly to her. With a more confident smile, Aimi turned and headed toward the woman's direction. Call it hobby of hers, but Aimi Hanazawa brought it upon herself to cure those of the Hanahaki Disease. Something she was unable to do for poor Naoki Sugitani. This was something only she could do…

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**Ahhh, wasn't that nice? This is considered the better ending and if I had to throw in a word of god here, I'd prefer this ending to be canon. Although to be fair, neither ending can be canon and it's up to readers on which ending they think is a better conclusion to the story. Me being the cock-eyed optimist that I am, I usually strive to get the golden-endings in video games if I can. What do you all think? Anyway, I hope this conclusion was satisfactory for readers. Until next time! **

**Sincerely, ActionGalo7, AG07**


	13. Ending B

**Ending B**

**The Severing Ending**

Aimi decided she had no other choice. She had to save herself. She couldn't bear to suffer such a gruesome death. Using the last of her strength, Aimi took the Spiritual Shears and began to furiously cut at the roots of her own flower, the white gardenias. Working fast and quickly, Aimi watched as her flowers fell at her feet and withered into nothingness. She kept cutting and cutting until there was nothing left. Once it was over, Aimi dropped the Spiritual Shears to the ground and took a moment to catch her breath and wait for her heart to return to normal. The pain slowly dissipated and then it was gone. She no longer felt any pain in her lungs or chest.

She'd done it. Aimi performed the Severing Ritual on herself. Any feelings of romance or love she felt for Shou Fujiyama was gone now. She couldn't even remember what that kind of love felt like. Then Aimi gazed regrettably over at Hanari Kimura who still had her red-spider lily. The Unloved Woman was still suffering from the pangs of unrequited love. Was there other way to save her? As the Unloved Woman sat crouched there in the meadow of red lilies, Aimi couldn't help but feel bad for her.

In a last ditch effort to try to free her, Aimi reached out her hand to Hanari Kimura and thought perhaps she could try ripping the roots of the flowers out of her. But to her surprise, Hanari had already reached up and proceeded to yank the red-spider lily out of her chest. Now as Aimi watched, Hanari seemed to slowly rise up and seemed to gaze over at here where their eyes met.

Somehow Hanari managed to free herself and finally had the inner strength to let of the love that imprisoned her for so long. With nothing left tying her to the world, Aimi watched as Hanari's soul disappeared and became part of the garden along with all the other lonely broken souls. Aimi sadly bowed her head and felt bad for not being able to save Hanari Kimura from her fate. Hopefully she could rest in peace this time. The Red Spider Lilies would guide the Unloved Woman to the Otherworld. But all that matters was that she was still alive and that she managed to overcome the Hanahaki Disease.

"Aimi?"

Aimi turned around and saw Shou coming up to greet her. Shou was so relieved to see Aimi was okay from her battle with the Unloved Woman. However he stopped when he caught the look in her eyes. The love and adoration that used to shine in Aimi's eyes had suddenly gone away. Aimi gazed at him but it almost felt like she wasn't truly looking at him. It bothered Shou a great deal to realize that Aimi's eyes appeared emotionless to him now. And that's when it occurred to him… Aimi must have performed the Severing Ritual on herself. Did that mean that she…?

"Come on, Shou. Let's leave this place together," Aimi smiled reassuringly at him. Shou nodded his head and went to follow her out of this forbidden place. But all the while, he couldn't shake away the unsettling feeling that their connection had somehow been cut off…

**Epilogue**

During their lunch period, Aimi and Ume were sitting in their school courtyard together, having lunch and chatting away about their school-work. Aimi's life had returned to normal after the events at Matsumura. Once Spring-Break was over, Aimi was able to return to school and get back into her studies. As for her best friend, Ume, she too was able to overcome her Hanahaki Disease and return to her own life. Hopefully now she could find someone who could return her love.

While Aimi was going over some math problems, Ume couldn't help but keep sneaking worried looks over at her best friend and noticed that ever since she and Shou had returned from Matsumura, things have changed between them. Aimi no longer seemed interested in her big brother and it really showed. It was disheartening to see that Aimi's feelings have been severed. Aimi looked up and caught the concerned expression Ume was wearing. But Ume sadly looked away and thought it better not to approach the subject. After all, Aimi Hanazawa had moved on. But her brother hadn't…

Standing not too far away, Shou was watching Aimi and his sister sitting on the bench together and going over their schoolwork. It's already been a week and nothing has changed. Shou sighed gloomily as he couldn't tear his eyes away from Aimi. He couldn't stop loving her. Aimi no longer felt any romantic attachment to him but Shou couldn't let go of the love he still felt for her. He wondered if the pain would ever go away. And as Shou continued to watch the girl he loved from afar, suddenly he started coughing…

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**This is considered the bittersweet ending. Not really a happy ending but not quite a downer-ending either. Hey, at least everyone survived, right? But the trouble with bittersweet endings is that there are always too many loose ends and some problems still exist. These endings are especially common in video games. And let's be real, Fatal Frame is notorious for having either downer endings or bittersweet ones. Personally, it'd be nice to see a golden ending for once in those series. Anyway, maybe not the best ending but definitely not the worse. Thanks for reading and hope this ending was satisfactory!**

**Sincerely, ActionGal07**

**AG07**


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